


Highbreeds and Heroes

by romcom15



Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, Speciesism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:53:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romcom15/pseuds/romcom15
Summary: A reboot of a previous work. The Tennyson team fail that first summer, and Ben is kidnapped by Vilgax. When the Omnitrix is violently removed an Ben is left to die, he finds himself in an alien body in an alien world. Will this world ruin the optimistic hero? Or, will he rub off on it, starting with the rough but relatively kind Reinrassic III?Back on Earth, Gwen is a hero, but is also alone. The person closest to her is gone, and she blames herself. Yet, when she's once again faced with a world ending alien attack, she steps up, becoming the leader of a rag tag group when the Plumbers refuse to help.This fic contains sex, a disclaimer, between characters who are biologically adults, but not legally by Earth standards. I'm not positive that Gwen will end up with Kevin because I also ship her with Charmcaster. Three way? Albedo/Ken? A smutfic between Ben and Reiny because I just want to make more content for them? I make no promises but man am I trying.
Relationships: Kevin Levin/Gwen Tennyson, Reinrassic III/Ben Tennyson
Comments: 33
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

Gwen screamed for Ben as the portal closed. She coughed, ribs on fire as she cradled her broken hand. Her Uncle was soon at her side as she tried to crawl to where her cousin had just stood against one of the most fearsome people in the galaxy, and lost. Uncle Ben lifted her up, trying to get her to look at him. He was bleeding from a wound on his head and Gwen couldn’t hear what he was saying. She was crying too hard. She failed.

She let Vilgax take him.

She..

She struggled out of her grandpa’s hold to her knees as if to search for the portal that Vilgax had opened. It wasn’t until her Grandpa Max placed a shaky hand on her shoulder to draw her into his embrace a second time that she truly broke down. Screaming turned to sobbing violently as Max rocked her. He didn’t whisper any reassuring comments like “We’ll get him back” or “Everything will be fine.” 

He couldn’t bring himself to lie to her. Vilgax had won this battle, he had the Omnitrix, but more importantly he had Ben.

\---------------

Ben felt awful. His body was switching between waves of numb and pain, his mouth was full of cotton balls, his intestines were full of ants, his head felt heavy on the outside, full of air on the inside, and his eyes could only see watery shapes that seemed to quiver like the ringing of his ears. 

It could have been an eternity since he had awoken like this in a dark, metal-walled room hooked up in a strange circular device. He couldn’t make out if there was even a door on the wall he was facing! Panic rose in his chest as footsteps and voices neared the room. 

“No Tennison,” he thought to himself, “You're the hero. You can think of a way out of this. Alright? Okay! Now… the machine, which is probably a torture device, has me upright. Maybe I could break my thumb and slip out like in a spy movie? No, the cuffs are too tight, and I don’t even know how to do that if they weren't. I can’t use the omnitrix ‘cause I’m starfished out.... Can I even run like this? I can still feel the omnitrix so they didn’t just saw my arm off or kill me, but why? Information? Ugh, if that’s what they're after I’m screwed.”

Just as he lost his train of thought went off the tracks, the door he couldn’t make out before mechanically slid open. An imposing, albeit, wobbly, shape appeared silhouetted in the light from outside the room.

“Vilgeek.”

“Tennison, still such confidence. Do you even realize the situation you’re in? No…” he chuckled, “Of course you don’t.”

“You’ll never get anything outta me squid-face!”

“Please, I’m well aware you posses no useful information, but don’t get me wrong maggot, this will be torture.” When Ben’s glare only intensified he continued, “I could have merely done the procedure while you were asleep, but with all the trouble you’ve caused me, I think I deserve to see you in agony.”

“You’re gonna laser my arm off or something?” Ben joked, trying his best to put up a brave front as he squirmed uncomfortably.

“Unfortunately for you it’s not nearly that simple.” The fact that he had never seen Vilgax so happy made Ben’s skin crawl. “In order for the Omnitrix to transform you the way it does it has fused itself to every part of your being. This machine,” he tapped the circular contraption of doom, “Will remove it from you without damaging it. You, on the other hand,” his smile grew even wider. His black lips curled, flashing crooked yellow-green teeth, “Will be Very. Much. Damaged.” Ben finally let his fear show on his face as his eyes grew wide in terror.

Pleased with his work, Vilgax confidently turned, and strode out of the room as lights came on. Ben was finally able to see the full extent of the machine, as well as the window to the other side of the wall he was facing. Just outside were the controls for the device Tennison was hooked up in and the scientists ready to turn it on. Vilgax stood in front of a viewing panel and gave the order to begin. Finally, the Omnitrix would be his, and the brat would see first-hand what happened to those who opposed him.

Ben’s heart was beating a mile a minute as the machine whirred to life around him. The waves of numbness and pain blurred together in a searing agony as needles entered him from different angles. Then the real pain started. 

Vilgax nearly began laughing at the blood curdling screams his machine ripped from the boy as the device did its job. Truly waiting for the child to wake up had paid off to a far more satisfying vengeance. He watched as the small child began to mutate. The Omnitrix came detached along with Tennyson's muscles. 

His flesh swelled then dissolved under tearing then sagging skin. The device continued to gently whirr around Ben as his screams became alien. One half of his face grew crystal before falling off and getting replaced by pulsing plant tissue. At some points he would resemble an actual species, but soon enough he was just a jumble of non-compatible alien parts. Several times he regurgitated large amounts of organs that were definitely not human, but very much his own.

The torture lasted barely an hour before the Omnitrix fell limply on the floor in defeat. It appeared that the disconnection had finally allowed Ben to go into shock. Yet, the violent mutations continued even with the machine now off. One of the scientists shuffled over to Vilgax with the Omnitrix. He gladly took it, but his victory was briefly interrupted when the scientist asked what they should do with the unstable ex-human.

“Dump him on the nearest planet to rot.”, he replied before striding out of the room.

……………

When Ben came to on the sharp, purple, slate he was back to the waves of numbness and pain. It took him several minutes to adjust his eyes to the blinding sunlight he slowly began to inspect what he could of himself with as little movement as possible. 

He was met with angry muscles that stretched under pale, almost translucent skin. His transformation was now taking a definitive shape. His bones made sickening creaks and snaps as he became unlike any alien Ben had ever seen. His hands and feet grew dark. Strange, sensitive, black spines protruded from the side of his face, and powerful flaps of flesh folded over his back.

The pain ebbed away as the transformation completed to the point where he was now able to sit up, and inspect his now gangly, yet powerful, limbs. He didn’t know where he was, what he was…

He shook, he screamed, he ran his hands over his body, begging this to be an illusion. No no no no no no no! Gwen! Grandpa Max!

“Help! Is anyone there!” He yelled, trying to stand only to fall into the scorching purple sand.  
“I’m going to die here,” he whispered, “I-I’m going to die here and- and know one’s gonna know!”


	2. Chapter 2

The Atasian lord sighed inwardly as his cruiser drifted along through a sector of Highbreed territory under his family’s ownership. He hated the increased security required whenever that fool Vilgax was spotted near their territories. More than that, he hated doing other people’s work for them.

“Could Frustra do nothing right?” he complained inwardly, “I have far more important business to attend to without performing her monitor duties while she runs about being courted.” The Highbreed’s hand formed a fist behind his back as he paced the ship’s control-room. He wished just one of these mongrels would mess something up so he could have an outlet for his rage, but all he saw was proper conduct and performance by the crew. “Perhaps my sister trains her garbage too well…” suddenly a small beeping noise at one of the scanners indicated an anomaly,” ...or perhaps I am merely acting soft.” He quickly, with extreme elegance mind you, strode over to a small DNAlien rescanning over and over in disbelief of whatever data the scanners showed.

“What is it?” his commanding voice caused the thing to jump before answering.

“W-w-we’ve detected a life form, my lord.”

“A life form? There?” he asked disbelief as he gestured to the small, arid, and horribly purple wasteland they were currently drifting by.

“I-ind-d-deed your grace,” the mutt shifted uncomfortably under the Highbreed’s glare, clicking nervously, “It appears to be an Atasian, your most glorious.” This caused the Highbreed even more shock. Had someone gotten stranded? Purpura XII was a desert planet; a Highbreed could easily die of heat stroke or dehydration.

“Make preparations to send a detachment.”

………………

Ben felt like he’d been wandering this planet for days. Yet the sun had only sent once, and just when things cooled off it rose again! 

“What I wouldn’t give for some waaaateeeerrrr.” Ben wished he hadn’t cried every time he thought of home since he got here. He figured that must have been a huge waste of liquid, but he just couldn’t help it! 

Of course getting lost in his thoughts caused him to trip on a sharp rock and fall clumsily to the ground. Again. Ben laid there on the scalding hot purple stone for a moment. Glancing down at his new body that had been miraculously not badly damaged by his many falls down ravines and trips over rocks, he let the fact that this was how it was going to end slip once again into his mind. If the heat didn’t kill him maybe the lack of water would. He might even just completely give up and die of a broken heart like in the movies. 

“No Tennyson. You are not going out like this.” Even as he thought that, though, his body began to shake, “Pull yourself together and keep moving!” Finally he shoved himself up, then continued to stumble forward through the open expanse. 

He ended up hearing it before seeing it. As he turned toward the roar his eight eyes squinted against the flying purple sand before it settled to reveal a ship. It was all black and blue- the sand slid off of it like water off duck wings. The bottom lowered into a ramp as an alien that looked like him stepped out!

“Are you alright?” he called to Ben while speed-walking towards him.

“I’m not dead so thanks...” The other alien circled him as if checking him over for injury without actually touching him. He stayed about a foot and a half away like there was some kind of force field around Ben.

“You seem a bit bruised and dehydrated, but other than that…” the alien came to a stop in front of him, “I am Reinrassic the third, seventh son of the noble house of Devalah. Identify yourself, and how you came to be here.”

“Uh… Ben, Ben Tennyson. Pretty sure I got left here to die or something. Um…” Reinrassic gave him a look that was probably the same look Gwen had given him when he first found the Omnitrix. Reinrassic suddenly began checking him over again.

“Perhaps you are more damaged than I thought, Ben-Ben Tennyson.” the taller alien stopped circling again before gesturing back to his ship, “Come.” Normally Ben would have been rattling off question after question at this point, or at least corrected the alien saving him when he called him Ben-Ben, but man was he tired. Also thirsty, which felt really weird since he no longer had a throat, and was now breathing through his sides. His chest felt crusty, his lungs- sandy. He was a very tall, very dry protein cookie that was very grateful for being saved.

Reinrassic led him into the ship, which was about twice the size of Ben’s house, that took off and boarded an even fucking bigger ship! The thing was massive! It had technology unlike any he had ever seen. Well, that probably wasn’t saying much… but still! 

Ben looked at everything he could once inside the large ship, while making sure to keep up with Reinrassic of course. The inside was very open, no furniture or anything, its main colors were deep purples, reds, and black with bits of bright pink, blue, and orange. The decor seemed to suit his alien host as well as the odd smaller aliens that apparently ran the ship. Dark, arching shapes with lots of negative space gave the whole place a very organic vibe. That AC, though? Heavenly!

Once reaching what he assumed to be a medbay (Ben couldn’t read the sign by the entrance) Reinrassic told Ben to ‘sit’ before leaving the room. Ben sighed, 

“Is he a jerk, or a good guy?” Well, he’d been helpful so far… Soon enough the alien was back with a large bowl. When he handed it to Ben he could see it was full of water. “Thank goodness… I have no mouth.” He looked back up at Reinrassic who widened a single eye starting at the lower left and went around widening one at a time in a line up one side and down the other. “Did he just roll his eyes?”

“I am certain you are aware that the least you can do is trust me,” Reinrassic said as he took the bowl back from Ben. Much to Ben’s shock and appal he brought it to his torso where four leathery skin flaps pulled away to reveal pulsing pink organs held in place by a black, cage-like shell. Ben felt like he was watching some sci-fi horror film when two of the organs wormed through a larger gap in the shell and into the bowl. They sucked in a bit of the water before retracting under the white stomach folds. “No poison. The water is perfectly drinkable,” Reinrassic confirmed, handing it back to Ben.

Ben swore he’d never get used to this when he opened his torso and felt the ship’s cold air on his intestines. Carefully, he maneuvered his new tendrils down into the water like Reinrassic had done, not entirely sure how, but his experience in alien bodies helping a lot. The cold water felt even weirder than the air had. It was like it was going directly to his stomach. Still it was soooo refreshing he soon got over the way it felt. When he drank it all Reinrassic refilled it with a warning not to drink it too fast.

“‘Kay, and, uh, thanks for saving me.”

“Of course, though I must ask… are you using any medical substances I should know of?” 

“What?” Ben was a bit surprised by that, “Like drugs?” the alien nodded, “No. Why?”

“Your speech and movements are sloppy, though you could still be drugged without your knowledge. You did say you were left to die on that planet after all.”

“Yeah, but I don’t remember being drugged,” Ben thought for a moment, “unless they did it while I was unconscious.”

“Unconscious?” Reinrassic replied. He was utterly shocked. What filth would have held a highbreed unconscious then left them to die in a wasteland?!

“Yeah, though, uh, can you tell me where I am exactly?”

“Certainly,” Reinrassic answered when he was brought back from his thoughts. “Now is not the time to ponder. I need to get Ben-Ben back home so he can be properly examined and treated. Then we’ll find out who is responsible for his state.”

“We are in the Devat sector of the Highbreed empire. You are safe from whoever did this to you, and I am bringing you back to my family estate to receive medical attention.” The younger Highbreed still seemed concerned.

“How far are we from Earth?”

“Earth?”

“Yeah, I’m from Earth. I need to get back to my family, and maybe Uncle Max will have a way to fix me,” the sadness and hope were very noticeable in the younger Highbreed’s voice.

“I apologize, but I do not know of a planet called Earth. I was not aware there were Highbreeds that did not live near our home world. Also what about you is damaged?” the older Highbreed was guessing it was Ben-Ben’s head. It was like some fairytale, a beautiful Higbreed practically falling into his lap. Unlike the fairytales, however, this prince appeared to be a nervous wreck. Which, given the circumstances made sense, but still.

“I’m not damaged. I’m just not me! I’m a human who got turned into a Highbreed!” With that Reinrassic was now absolutely certain that there was something definitely wrong with Ben-Ben’s head. He needed to call his brother, Medicus, to help the young and terribly confused Highbreed, but he couldn’t just leave him like this all alone. That, and the younger Highbreed was possibly the most stunning person he’d ever met, but no, his health was more important right now. No time to ogle.

“Stay here,” he commanded before exiting the medbay to head towards the communications room. 

…………....

“Well?” demanded Reinrassic.

“He seems to be in a state of shock, but I believe there are some truths in his tale. First, you should see this,” the Highbreed Medicus led his younger brother to a screen that displayed Ben-Ben’s testing results. Medicus had never seen Reinrassic’s eyes grow wider. “I had the same reaction when I saw them myself for the first time.”

“He’s… so… pure…”

“Indeed. Ben-Ben is the exact biological example of a pure Atasian. Almost impossibly so.”

“It’s…”

“Amazing, stunning, you feel as though the only two ways you could have possibly been luckier is if he wasn’t in a state of mental instability, or you had been born that pure yourself?”

“...Indeed”

“Yes, well back to his story. I believe he was raised on another planet. A long lost strain so to speak.”

“Why is that?”

“His DNA, while impressively perfect, is entirely unique. He is not related to any other Highbreed families.” Reinrassic was surprised to hear this, but nodded for Medicus to continue. “Earth is a planet in Plummer territory. While it is possible that he could have been there, he is not human. The Plummer files show that humans have no shape-shifting capabilities, and even if they did, the DNA test would have shown him to be a shifter stuck in transformation. It is my diagnosis that his traumatic experience combined with his improper upbringing has caused him to devise a false past to escape his memories, as well as be completely clueless to who and what he is. He must be carefully assimilated back into society. It will take a long time, and a great deal of patience, but I am convinced he can fully integrate if given the chance.” 

“I see,” Reinrassic wasn’t sure whether he should be hopeful for Ben-Ben or furious that someone had hurt him so much. No, right now he needed to help him, needed to focus. “I found him, so I am responsible.”

“Good luck then Reinrassic, and remember that he has no control over his delusions. Patience will be the key to his recovery.” Reinrassic nodded again before heading into the room Ben-Ben was waiting in.

“You have to believe me! Please, I’m not nuts!” Ben-Ben immediately asked the second Reinrassic entered the room.

“Of course you aren’t nuts Ben-Ben,” Ben was relieved at hearing this till the Highbreed continued with, “You are Atasian. Why would someone claim you to be a legume?”

“Uhrg! That’s not what I meant!”

“Come, you are exhausted. From now on I am in charge of educating you on what you are. I will help you adjust to Highbreed culture and life. Therefore, you shall be staying in my quarters. I’ll have the room next to mine prepared for you.”

“But I’m not a Highbreed! I need to go back home to Earth! I’m a human!”

“Do not disgrace yourself by claiming to be such a putrid lowly species!” Reinrassic whipped around, “I understand that I must be patient with you, but I will not allow you to ever say that you are less than what you are!” Reinrassic had now gotten the awkward one and a half feet away that seemed to be the limit for how close any Highbreeds ever got. He was directly in front of Ben. He looked down at him while scolding, “You are perfection, Ben-Ben Tennyson. Do not dare forget that.” Ben was stunned to see the seemingly cool-headed Reinrassic suddenly snap like that. He was intimidated enough to begin quietly following the taller Highbreed through the halls. For some reason, though, Ben felt flattered by what Reinrassic had said. 

No one had ever called him anything close to perfect before. It was always loser, or dweeb, or idot, or “Ben, why can’t you do this one simple thing?!”

The aggressive compliment made Ben feel good at first, but then he felt his mood dip, Reinrassic just needed time to realise he was helping out a total screw up.

About half way back to Reinrassic’s quarters Ben began asking questions he’d been holding in since he got here, not being able to contain himself any longer. Reinrassic answered each calmly. He even seemed to enjoy the mostly one-sided conversation, or maybe he just enjoyed talking to Ben-Ben.

He even thought that maybe the way Reinrassic’s eyes squinted could count as a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

Ben was convinced that the Highbreed were all bipolar. Or, at least two faced. At first, he thought it was just Reinrassic being a jerk to the small brown and purple aliens that did his bidding, then, a couple days after arriving, most of Reinrassic’s siblings came to meet Ben. They were all a lot more… normal? 

Well, at first. 

They made Reinrassic look like a stuck up prude. They were nice, but in a very adult way that made Ben feel strange; especially since he found out most of them were around his age. He wasn’t at all used to being treated like anything other than a stupid kid, but the Higbreed were all very professional. 

They seemed to have a very strict moral code with each other. They never touched, never got too close, tried not to push topics or at least make them into something positive.

Most shockingly, they didn’t dismiss him like other adults did. Technically, Ben was an adult now by Highbreed standards. Yet the Highbreed, when he told them a few stories about his time on earth, which he was pretty sure they didn’t believe, but were still very polite about, didn’t seem to know what children were.

“So…” One of Reinrassic’s sisters, who looked almost just like his brothers but had a sort of feminine voice, asked, “They are tiny adults, but they are secondary citizens?”

“Not exactly, it's more of, like a not fully developed grown up? Like, they aren’t just smaller, they aren’t, like… uh, I think Gwen mentioned something about not having all the connections in our brains yet?”

“That would explain a lot,” Another sister joked.

“It explains nothing,” Medicus spoke up from where he was sitting on the couch, “Ben-Ben’s brain is perfectly developed, I checked. Whatever this ‘child’ thing is, he is not one. It is likely a form of ospring protection for lesser species who must move their young in order to protect them from predators.” All the siblings nodded like that made total sense. As far as Ben knew, most species had kids, alien or not.

“Well, you guys aren’t born adults, right? What were you before that?”

“Same as you were,” Reinrassic huffed, “We were grubs growing in education chambers where we ate and learned until we were large enough to cocoon.”

“COCOON? Like a freaking caterpillar?”

“Ooh!” A very hyper sister who couldn’t seem to sit still cooed, Frustra maybe? There had been a lot of names given to him all at once, and all of them looked basically the same. “What’s a caterpillar?”

“A bug?” All of the Highbreed squawked indignantly at the implication that they were similar to something like an insect. They tried to all talk at once while similarly trying to give each other turns as they all justified how they were nothing like this creature they knew nothing about. Ben couldn’t help but laugh as he made these very collected aliens lose their cool. It was great until a DNAlien entered the room. 

Ben figured that the DNAliens were more of a normal species than the clone-like Highbreed. They had differentiating features like being short or tall or having different numbers of limbs, all while having the same basic features. The limb thing was a little strange, but at least he could tell one apart from the other. 

They seemed nice to Ben, but the Highbreed didn’t agree with him. The unusually large DNAlien cowarded in the doorway. Ben was the first to notice him, greeting the alien on instinct, which only made it flinch. All the other Highbreed stopped their levity to glare down at the poor thing.

“What do you want, vermin?” Reinrassic growled. Ben looked at him with shock. He’d seen Reinrassic be rude to the DNAliens before, but it had been more of a “snippy in passing” sort of thing. What had the guy done to deserve this kind of treatment? 

“A m-m-meal ha-has been prepared, oh great ones, as p-p-per sc-sc-scedual.”

“Tch,” Medicus tsked, “Can’t you miserable balls of flesh speak clearly?” The DNAlien looked down at its feet. “Reinrassic, why do you let them mumble like that? My DNAliens speak properly- and they stand strait!” The venom in Medicus’s voice made both the DNAlien and Ben straighten their spines. The other Highbreed giggled at the DNAlien and suddenly Ben was back in school getting bullied by Cash and J.T. He wanted to speak up while they dressed the alien down, not that either species wore clothes. But, finally being a bystander, a member of the “cool kids” doing the bullying, he sort of realised how all the kids in school felt when they just sat there and let Cash tear into him.

He felt awful, watching the DNAlien hurry off once it was dismissed.

“Wasn’t that… kind of mean?” Ben would’ve taken a step back had he been standing instead of sitting at a table when the Highbreed looked back at him. Then, they started laughing again. 

“Aw,” Frustra said, “Ben-Ben is defending you, Reinrassic!”

“It isn’t our fault he’s so soft on his DNAliens!” A brother, Fortis-Fortior? Ben really needed to learn their names. Reinrassic had his arms crossed, not acknowledging his siblings while also trying to disappear into his chair. Ben felt an expression come across his chest similar to frowning.

“No, I… I mean the DNAlien.” All laughter stopped. 

“What?” A sibling Ben just couldn’t name asked, “Why would that matter? They aren’t Highbreed, so they aren’t even really people.”

Ben could practically see the loading circle appear in front of his face.

“What?”

“It’s simple, Ben-Ben,” Frustra rolled her eyes, “We are Highbreed, the perfect forms, the finality of evolution. All other species only exist to serve us. And we, as merciful creatures, rule over these simple creatures who cannot be trusted to rule over themselves.”

“DNAliens hold a very important place in society as our most trusted servants, but they must still know their place,” another sibling stated.

Ben blinked, he even looked over at Reinrassic who looked totally complacent with all this and Ben just felt sick. He had walked in the shoes of a good amount of these “lower lifeforms'', heck, he was one. Yet, their absolute certainty left him speechless. 

Ben moved on auto pilot, pushing away from the table and standing up. He could hear the confused sounds, them asking where he was going as he walked out. The DNAlien was long gone by now so Ben just went down the hall to his room, still in a state of total shock. Soon enough, there came a knock. 

“Ben-Ben?” It was Reinrassic. Ben ignored him, suddenly finding the double use of his name annoying. “Tennison? Are you all right?” The knocking became more insistent.

“Go away!” Ben snapped. Reinrassic went silent for a second.

“Is it… something I did?” Ben was furious now. How dare Reinrassic sound hurt! Ben stomped over to the door and opened it.

“What is wrong with you people?!” Reinrassic nearly jumped when he saw Ben glaring up at him. “How can you even think like that? You’re a buch of bullies, this is slavery! Do you even understand how wrong this is?! What if another species treated the Higbreed like this, huh? Is this just what you get off on? Being a total jerk just because you can?! Just because you were born some way doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else! I’ve met plenty of aliens, and they’re just like anyone else!” Reinrassic said nothing, waiting for Ben to blow off his steam. Then sighed.

“Right.. You were raised in Plumber space…” 

“That’s not the point! Being raised somewhere else isn’t an excuse!”

“Ben-Ben-”

“Don’t call me that!”

“... Tennison, it’s as simple as biology-” If Ben could’ve slammed the door on Reinrassic he would’ve. Instead, it swooshed shut on him with the press of a button. He knocked again for a little bit, but quickly caught the hint that Ben wasn’t willing to discuss this further. Ben waited, steaming in his room while everyone left. Reinrassic made a final attempt for the day to get Ben to come out and eat, but gave up on that eventually too. He didn’t want to make Ben-Ben more angry with him by pushing him too hard. It was as medicus said,

Ben-Ben was raised differently than they were.

He wouldn’t think the same, or see the universe with the same lense. The thought made Reinrassic feel a way he couldn’t describe. Ben-Ben thought of himself as equal to other lifeforms? Thought of himself as a rightless “child?” Something immature that had little to no say in its life? It made sense with the way he acted, though Reinrassic had a hard time imagining a group of very pure Highbreed living in such a way…

He wanted to find them, Ben-Ben’s family. He wanted to see just how Highbreed could possibly live in such a way because as far as he could think; it was impossible.

Ben, for his part, was staring out the window, watching the stars drift by. He’d thought it was cool that Reiny lived on a moon at first, now, though, he missed blue skies. He waited till the building’s lights dimmed to almost nothing, signifying it was well into the night, before sneaking out of his room towards the kitchen. He knew for a fact that the DNAliens were up this late working.

He didn’t want to startle them all, thus, in his infinite wisdom, decided to single out one to speak to. He hid behind several massive containers while he watched. The DNAliens appeared perfectly content to toil away. Well, most of them.

One of the DNAliens was taking a break, nearly falling asleep. It had four arms and a tail, almost walking on all six like an animal as it moved. Ben waited as they got closer to him.

Closer…

Closer…

“Psst!” The DNAlien jumped, looked like it was going to run, but deflated instead. It walked over to Ben like a kid walking up to the principal after being caught. 

“I apologize, you’re greatness, I-I accept any punishment-”

“Oh, you’re not in trouble.” The DNAlien jumped, blinking up at Ben.

“I’m… not?”

“No, I just wanted to ask some questions, I’m Ben.”

“Ah! The pure one, Ben-Ben! Forgive my incompetence-”

“You aren’t in trouble,” Ben sighed at the very confused DNAlien. “I wanted to ask you some questions. Is that alright?”

“You… I… why are you asking for my permission?”

“Uh, I get it, okay- you do whatever the Higbreed tell you to. I don’t care. If you don’t want to talk to me, you don’t have to. I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

“...Why?”

“Because I’m not like them! Listen, I know this sounds crazy, but I’ve been in a lot of aliens shoes, and I know what it’s like to be treated badly.” Ben covered his “face” with his hand. “Everytime they talk to you guys like that I- I see myself. So, don’t be scared of me because I’m not gonna get mad, okay?”

“...Okay.”

“Okay, uh, what’s your name?”

“Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica.”

“Poekil-Pos… can I call you Paul?”

“Whatever you wish-”

“No, if you don’t like it, tell me.” 

The DNAlien looked like he was thinking, scratching at his head before nodding. 

“No, I like it. It’s time saving. Better than vermin most definitely.”

“Okay, thanks. So, Paul, uh,how do you feel about the Highbreed?”

“Ah!” Paul straitened, almost going rigid. “It is an honor to serve you!”

“Is that how you really feel? I won’t tell anyone if it isn’t true.”

“No, I mean it. I was an orphan, same as most before being taken in. I was raised in the nurseries by DNAliens and, when given the choice between returning to my home planet or becoming a DNAlien, I chose to be a DNAlien.”

“Wait, so you guys aren’t born DNAliens?”

“Not at all. DNAliens are enhanced by parasites called Xenomorphs. They allow us heightened senses and abilities. We can also communicate with one another through a mind link. I do like being a DNAlien, you see. It’s like being a part of a very big family. My own family didn’t want me, but here, we are all connected. It’s comforting. And I am honored to serve the Highbreed.”

“Even though they treat you guys like crap?”

“He he he!” Paul’s laugh was scratchy, and he covered his mouth as he chuckled. “I suppose it isn’t the most fun, but my Xenomorph helps to not be bothered. Besides, if you think they treat us poorly you’d be appalled by how they treat everyone who’s not a DNAlien or Higbreed. If we’re second class then everyone else is third.” Ben felt his stomach churn.

“So, the parasite alters your mind?”

“Somewhat.”

“But, you aren’t hurt by the Highbreed?”

“Hm, sometimes, they punish us, I’ve even heard of some very cruel Highbreed out right killing their DNAliens, but I’ve only ever served the Devalah house. The worst punishment they give is isolation or whipping. Isolation is worse, though. But they’ll only isolate in extreme measures.”

“That’s still awful!”

“Is it? I don’t know. It could be worse, though.”

“... Yeah. Yeah, I guess.” Ben felt defeated, and hungry. 

*Rrrrrr,* he blushed, suddenly embarrassed by his stomach. 

“Would you like something to eat?”

“I- yeah, thanks.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

\----------

When Reinrassic came in the morning to try and talk again Ben opened the door. They stood in silence for a bit. Both unsure. 

“I-” reinrassic started.

“I want to know more,” Ben cut in. Reinrassic tilted his head.

“About what?”

“Everything. I want to know as much as I can. I wanna know about you and the DNAliens, the Highbreed, Vilgax, the Plumbers! I’m sick of being in the dark about all of this! My family kept things from me, my parents, my grandpa. I’m sick of being treated like a kid, or like I’m an idiot! I want to know more, but I also want you to listen to me.” Ben stood there, arms crossed, ready for the rebuttal.

“Wonderful!” Reinrassic “smiled.” 

“W-it is?”

“Absolutely! I was hoping you would soon take an interest in learning about your own kind, and it is indeed very wonderful that you are seeing yourself like an adult and asserting yourself!” Reinrasic watched confusion work its way through Ben-Ben. He felt his smile falter as Ben-Ben shrank a little.

“Really?” 

“Ben-Ben, you are a person. You are perfect as you are, even if you aren’t infallible. Highbreed, even being the peak of evolution, are mortal creatures. As a whole, we are perfect. But, as individuals, we are expected to grow and refine ourselves.” Ben was shaking. All eight eyes welling with tears. “Are you alright? I did not mean to insinuate any-”

“I’m fine,” Ben-Ben squeaked. “I just,” He wiped his chest and head eyes, “I’m not used to being taken seriously? I mean, my family’s great but…”

“Ben-Ben, who are your family? I want to find them.” Ben-Ben looked up, eyes now filled with hope. 

“You can do that?! You mean, I can see them again, I can go back?!”

“Hold on,” Reinrassic put his hands out while backing up, luring Ben-Ben out into the hall. “I might be able to locate them, however, if they truly are in Plumber space, actually contacting them, much less meeting with them will not be simple.” Ben-Ben deflated.

“Oh, why?”

“We are not on good terms with the other two major powers in the galaxies, the Plumbers and Vligax. It is illegal for members of the Highbreed empire or the Plumber space to trespass into one another’s territory. Even agreeing to visit is a major negotiation between representatives. Knowing the Plumbers, they would also try to take advantage of the situation.”

“Could I at least talk to them?” 

“Transmissions are also illegal.”

“Ugh!” He finally realized that he was walking down the hall with Reinrassic and crossed his arms. “Where are we going?”

“We are going to eat breakfast, then we will see about beginning your studies.”

“Fine. Hey, what are Xenomorphs by the way?”


	4. Chapter 4

“I haaate learning!” Ben-Ben moaned and Reinrassic sighed.

“This was your idea,” Reinrassic said, setting the data pad he’d been going over with Ben-Ben. He was currently trying to teach him how to read Atasian, but it felt like he was ripping his nails out. 

“I knoooow, but I forgot how much I hated school.”

“School?”

“Uh,” Ben-Ben sat up, “Y’know, where people go to learn things?”

“All basic learning for Highbreed is done in education pods while we are in grub state. Further education is done personally or through a tutor.”

“So, you just knew how to read when you came out of your cocoon?”

“Indeed, however, just as I can speak standard with you, most Highbreed speak a wide range of languages. I think it is best that you learn at least ten. That is, after mastering Atasian, of course.”

“Ten?! Why so many?”

“It’s really not that many, we Highbreed have many species under our rule, some who do not typically learn standard as it is only enforced in Plumber space. It is important we are able to communicate with our subjects.”

“Oh, well, fine- but I’m still confused!” Ben-Ben threw his hands in the air.

“What is confusing you?”

“I don’t know?” he hissed, “All of the letters look kind of the same. I’m not used to using a lot of these sounds either.”

“Hmm, well, when one of my sisters was younger she had a similar problem. Most Highbreed have perfect memories, but I suspect your mind is not very well practiced.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, let’s try something else,” Reinrassic said quickly. “I will teach you a few traditional songs, and you may sing them with the lyrics.”

“I’m, uh, not a very good singer.”

“You don’t have to be, it’s a learning exercise. I will go first.” Reinrassic pulled up the program on the pad and showed Ben-Ben the scrolling letters on the screen that lit up as they were meant to be read. A strange background music played. It sounded somewhere between a haunting track from a horror movie and an off-tune medieval ballad. It sounded… weirdly good. The instruments made his antenna vibrate pleasantly, even if it sounded bad compared to his memories of music he liked on earth. 

Reinrassic started a new tune and began to sing along. He was a little off time with the lyrics, but his voice was low and he sang shyly, like he was too embarrassed to commit to the song. Once he was done with the short song he had Ben-Ben sing with him. He tried, but fumbled over every alien sound, even if he could feel that he was capable of making it. They went over the song a few times, Ben-Ben getting more frustrated as he kept not getting it.

The fourth time through Ben-Ben made a completely wrong sound and Reinrassic made a small chirp of laughter. 

“Don’t laugh at me!” Ben-Ben snapped, he could feel a purple blue blush creeping up his “neck.”

"Forgive me,” Reinrassic coughed, “I merely thought you were cute-” Reinrassic seemed to startle himself, stumbling to correct himself, “endearing! I find it endearing how much you are trying. It is very admirable!” Now Reinrassic was blushing from his neck to his shoulders.

“I don’t mind being cute,” Ben-Ben snickered. He did mind, usually, but it was worth it to see Reinrassic sputter. Ben-Ben got a look in his eyes as a devious plan came into his mind. “Hey Reiny~”

“Gaw!” He squawked, wings flaring in indignation. “Y-You will NOT call me that! That- that is wildly inappropriate! You- you-”

“Ke ke ke!” Ben-Ben let loose a roll of chirping, bird-like laughter from his new body that felt just as natural as the laughter from his old body. Reinrassic was almost violently purple now. 

“It is not funny!”

“Yeah, it is!” Ben-Ben held his stomach to try and calm his laughter, “You should see yourself! I mean really? It’s just a nick-name! 

"It is purely disrespectful!” Reinrassic hissed and flared his wings further. 

“Aww, can I at least call you Reiny in private? I really like it!”

“I- d- you, gaw! F-fine, but should you EVER call me that in front of ANYONE EVER I WILL-” Ben-Ben opened his chest flaps and stuck one of his mouth tubes out before closing them and laughing more. Reinrassic had to remind himself to be patient. “Ugh, you’re ridiculous.” He sat back in his chair. “And do not do that, it is disgusting.”

“Jeez, what’s with you guys and not liking your bodies? You practically worship yourselves, but you don’t touch each other, you can hardly stand to eat around each other-”

“Germs are something that exist, Ben-Ben.”

“Seriously? That’s why?”

“Highbreed bodies are sacred, touching someone else is an invasion of their person. Only mates can touch each other freely. Bonding so closely, becoming one in the most intimate of ways breaks down all barriers. The only other instances of contact should be emergencies, sometimes in courtship, or egghood.”

“Egghood?”

“Yes, before hatching and being placed into an education pod, Highbreed are in eggs. The fertilized egg enlarges into a hardened, delicate state. It is imperative that it stays safe and warm and isn’t jostled too much. Due to the size of it, holding it and caring for it makes it difficult to intake nutrients, so the egg is regularly passed between parents before hatching.”

“Huh, how long does that last?”

“Around three Agustaken months.”

“What do they look like?”

“Ah, I will show you some pictures,” Reinrassic said, calmed down now as he pulled up some images of a translucent green orb with a pale chubby form inside and black veins throughout.

“Eew!”

“It is not gross. It is beautiful!”

“It looks like someone stuck chewed gum into a peeled grape!” Ben-Ben snickered. Reiny sighed before smiling. At least they were making some kind of progress. Reinrassic tried not to imagine Ben-Ben opening his chest up seductively as they continued. There was no way that the pure little Atasian knew what he’d done. 

Surely.

...........

“What is the Highbreed home-world?”

“Augstaka.”

“How many members are there on the great council?”

“Seven.”

“What is the title of our leader?”

“Highbreed Supreme.”

“Differences socially and physically between Impares and Infirms?”

“Infirms are more submissive, and are better able to produce children. Infirms are identified best by having only seven eyes, and are spoken of using feminine pronouns. Impares are more dominant, and more successful when impregnating. They have eight eyes, and male pronouns,” Ben managed to answer in one breath. 

He folded his arms proudly when the Infirm quizzing him clapped enthusiastically. He’d been living with Reiny for three Augstaken months now. He felt like he’d learned a lot about Highbreeds, but Reiny always had more for him to learn. Once he got over a learning hump, thanks to Reiny, learning alien basics became easier. His friend always had some idea on how to approach lessons and make them more easy to understand. 

They’d also been spending more time with Reiny’s siblings, who seemed to be his only friends until Ben-Ben realised that just because Reiny called someone sister or brother didn’t mean they were related. They were all of house Devalah, yes, but were more like coworkers than an actual biological family. 

“Ben-Ben are you even listening anymore?” Ben was snapped out of the memory by Frustra’s question.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that.” Frustra rolled her eyes - something Ben had found to be much harder than it looked.

“I said you are doing really well with basic information, but your speech is still lacking, and I doubt you have been keeping up with your reading work.”

“Ughhhh, but reading is sssoooooo boooorrrriiiinnnng!”

“Ben-Ben, you might find reading tiresome, but it is an essential skill to learn. We simply do not have time to teach you everything phonetically.” The Highbreed that scolded Ben was one of Reiny’s “siblings” who often came to see Ben in their spare time. Usually they were pretty nice, but none of them could seem to understand Ben-Ben’s distaste for learning.

“Well, how come all of your books are historical? Don’t you guys have any adventure, or mystery books? You know, fun books?” Ben retorted almost accusingly.

“Learning is fun,” another Infirm who’d been leaning on the entryway to the main room replied, “There is no need to make things up when the universe is already so entertaining. At least you are learning Atasian well. Very few species speak entirely in their native tongues unless they are unable to pronounce the universal one.”

“If Highbreeds are so much better than other species, why speak a universal tongue? Why not make everyone speak Atasian?” Ben argued just as Reinrassic entered the room.

“As if simpler creatures could,” Reinrassic stated simply, “I approached you using the universal tongue, and since you can barely speak that I soon realized there was no possible way that you could speak Atasian. Yet, in only a few months you can read fluently, and will soon be speaking fluently.”

“In other words Ben-Ben, we have been speaking in a lesser, more simple tongue, to accommodate you,” Frustra explained, receiving chirp-like giggles from the other two Infirms in the room.

“Well now I just feel dumb.” Ben pouted.

”You should feel dumb,” Reinrassic added, spurring the other three into full on laughter. “That is why we learn, Ben-Ben Tennyson. ‘To know oneself, and one’s enemies: that is all the knowledge needed to achieve victory in anything.’ This, while not necessarily true, is an excellent philosophy.” Ben sensed a disturbance in the force as Reiny continued, “I plan not only to end your butchering of your current language, but I will also have you learn every major language, starting with Atasian.”

“Nnnnnnoooooooooo....” Ben moaned as he slid from his chair to the floor. “You said I only needed ten!”

“Ben-Ben,” Reinrassic scolded while trying to contain his laughter (his siblings were not as successful in the endeavor), “Stop being so dramatic. It is unsightly. Besides, I said ‘at least ten’, and you have made such wonderful progress already.” Ben gave an indignant huff, but before he could whine further Reinrassic motioned for him to follow.

……………

“So you’re inviting me to a party?” Ben asked excitedly.

“Technically speaking, yes.” Reinrassic found the way Ben-Ben’s eyes lit up to be very charming, “Thus far, only some of my family have met you; however, others have heard of you by word of mouth. This event will allow them a chance to get to know you, but” he looked down at Ben-Ben from a respectful distance, “I will not have you make a complete mockery of yourself.”

“What do I gotta do?” Ben asked, slightly offended, and very suspicious. Reiny merely widened the eyes on his right half - a motion that was about the same as raising an eyebrow. Ben sighed, “What do I have to do in order to not ‘make a complete mockery’ of myself?” Reiny seemed satisfied with the fix in grammar.

“You, Ben-Ben, are going to learn to dance.” Reinrassic made a mental note to inform Ben-Ben that a look of disgust when confronted with a new lesson was extremely rude, and unbecoming on a face so pure, so elegant. From his crystal eyes to his - focus dammit! “Do you have something against dancing?”

“If I have to learn how to dance, that probably means this is one of those parties where adults stand around with drinks talking about nothing the whole time, silently judging one another.”

“Perhaps,” Reinrassic laughed, “but you are an adult.” Ben-Ben began pouting again after hearing that. 

“How are we supposed to dance without touching anyway?”

“I will explain as we go,” Reinrassic replied before leading Ben-Ben to one side of the room. “First off is how to approach a dance partner.” He moved to face Ben-Ben from about four feet away. “Someone will always be the initiator of the dance, but you must decide immediately whether or not you wish to dance with them.”

“Why?”

“If you linger on your decision before choosing to dance with them it will be taken as an offense, but if you pause before refusing to dance they will assume that you are playing coy.”

“That makes no sense.”

“It will make more sense as you further assimilate. Now, they will approach you like this,” Reinrassic gracefully gave Ben a sweeping bow, “If they lean lower than this,” he bent a bit lower, “they are mocking you. Do not accept a dance with them or you will be a laughing stock. If they do not bow far enough,” he rose up some, “then they are underestimating you, and should also be refused lest you look desperate.”

The training seemed to go on forever. I mean really? Is everything either an insult or a flirt for Highbreeds? Ben had to memorize the angle of acceptability for invitation bows, and how to accept or deny them without flirting with or insulting the other party. By the end of it he was certain Reiny’s back was really sore, and they hadn’t even gotten to the actual dancing part yet.

“Can we PLEASE be done now? Why is this even so important?”

“Dancing is the closest two non-mated Highbreeds will ever get to one another.”

“Oh…” 

“Then that means I can get closer to Reiny?” Ben leaned towards Reiny, but he moved away. A deep blue-purple blush crept over Reiny’s neck and shoulders.

“As you are such a pure Highbreed many others will want to dance with you, but only Impares will approach you. So learning to dance with them will be most important.”

“You mean learning to dance with you?” Ben teased. Reiny blushed even harder as he attempted to keep his composure. He had survived the last three months, and was not going to give into Ben-Ben’s charms now. Ben-Ben really wasn’t knowledgeable enough yet for the advanced world of courtship. He was making it very hard not to try, though. 

Before Reinrassic could reply, a small beeping came from his communication screen. Never in his life had Reinrassic ever been so relieved to be interrupted.

“What is it?” Ben-Ben asked, trying to see over Reiny’s shoulder even though he couldn’t read the words.

“It is a distress signal from one of my stations. Something has happened there, and I will need to head over to investigate.”

“So cool! Can I come?” Reinrassic had spent so much time with Ben-Ben that Ben had forgotten about why Reinrassic lived on a moon far from Augstaka, their home world. He was in charge of a bunch of space stations full of DNAliens. Really, it didn’t seem that important, the DNAliens managed themselves for the most part. 

“Absolutely not,” Reinrassic replied, “You will not leave this room, understood?” 

Ben-Ben promised. Oh, if only Reiny could see Ben’s fingers crossed and recognize the look that could only mean Ben Tennyson had a plan.

……………

The moment his ship came near the station Reinrassic knew something was up, and if the damage to the station was anything to go by, it was something big, too. After his ship docked he motioned for his DNAliens to stay behind him. If this was an attack by a person and not a creature he could not have them mudding any evidence.

Slowly, he walked through the dim, mangled hallways. The main power had gone out, leaving them with eerie red emergency lighting.

“No sign of the crew thus far, but it was definitely a large creature,” Reinrassic thought as he stepped over a puddle of pale pink ooze. 

Before he could even see it coming, an alien crashed through the wall just behind Reinrassic. The vile thing got a hold of five DNAliens, munching on one, and constricting the other four with its powerful tentacles. 

“Fire!” The DNAliens began shooting at the alien on his command. Their laser guns blasted hunks of rancid pink and grey flesh off the creature. Reinrassic stepped back to assess the situation. The creature wouldn’t get very far as long as it was focusing on the DNAliens, but it was healing as fast as they were tearing it apart. He side-stepped right before a particularly large piece of flesh splattered on the wall just behind where he had been standing. He watched, plotting, as the chunk pulsed as if it was still attached to the rest of its body before dissolving into a pink ooze. 

He looked back at the creature as it swung its heavy body in an attempt to crush the DNAliens swarming it. At this rate, they would not beat it before it killed all of his DNAliens. He needed to get the thing to expose its underside so that they could shoot its vitals. 

For the second time today, something snuck up on him. His eyes widened in surprise as claw darts came flying from his right and pierced the creature. His head whipped around in time to see Ben-Ben running towards the alien while shooting more darts at its face. One of them hit the beast in the eye. It reared up in pain long enough for the DNAliens to get a few good shots at its vitals. They dissolved without regenerating. The now bleeding creature quickly regained its composure, however, and charged Ben-Ben.

They were running towards each other at full speed, but at the last second Ben leapt over the alien, only to get caught by strong tentacles as the beast charged on. The tentacle was constricting him tighter and tighter like a boa while the alien began crashing through another wall. Ben mentally prepared for impact as he felt the crack of a rib breaking.

Reinrassic jumped over the alien, sliced the tentacle holding Ben-Ben, and rolled off the alien with Ben-Ben in tow before they both became macabre wall ornaments.

“That was awesome!” Ben exclaimed as he unwrapped the now limp appendage from around himself.

“What do you think you are doing here?!” Reinrassic yelled at him.

“I’m helping!”

“Helping? Helping?! How does nearly getting yourself killed qualify as helping?!” Neither realized that Reinrassic had hoisted Ben up and was now holding his shoulders tight enough to leave bruises. “You will go back to the ship and wai-”

“No! I’m not just gonna sit around! I’ve fought plenty of aliens before, and the only time I lost was against Vilgax. If you don’t think I can handle myself then you’ve got another thing coming.” Ben stared Reiny down. Of course Reinrassic was taken aback by the change in the normally casual Highbreed. Even more so when he finally noticed he was engaging Ben-Ben in physical contact. Quickly letting Ben-Ben go he stepped back. Just from the look in Ben-Ben’s eyes he could tell that he was not going to win this argument.

“This must have been how my father felt when I demanded I was ready to go on my first mission.” Reinrassic gave a defeated sigh. “Very well, but stay sharp, stick close to me, and if anything too dangerous happens you are to head back to the ship.” Ben pumped a fist in the air before running after the alien monster. Reinrassic was quick to follow with the DNAliens.

“Where’d it go?” 

The next room over, while damaged like the rest of the ship had been, was entirely empty. Reinrassic had a bad feeling about the silence that hung like a weight in his gut. Even the DNAliens chittered uneasily as Ben-Ben neared the middle of the room. Reinrassic decided he officially hated surprises as the creature burst up through the floor, sending Ben-Ben flying. The alien charged Reinrassic’s DNAliens as he rounded it, dodging its tentacles while looking for Ben-Ben.

Meanwhile, Ben had been flung straight to the ceiling, and had gotten tangled in the exposed wires. “If I could just…” Ben struggled with the wires, still unsure of how to use his claws for cutting as Reiny had. 

“Ben-Ben!” Reinrassic called out when he spotted the younger Highbreed dangling from the ceiling. The call drew the alien monster’s attention to Reinrassic, and, dropping the mangled corpse of a DNAlien, it rushed at him. Reinrassic made as if to dodge, but suddenly stopped. He braced for impact just before getting slammed into the wall behind him by the bloody, enraged creature. 

“No!” Ben roared before finally getting free from the wires. He extended his wings, and glided down onto the monster's back. Ben dug his feet into the thrashing beast as it tried to free its head from the thicker wall. He steadied himself before finding a soft-spot he could only hope was the back of the skull. He drew a hand back, and held on with the other before digging his claws into the beast with as much force as he could. The alien beneath him screeched in agony and went stiff. Ben tensed the muscles in his hand, shooting his claw darts deep into the beast. He could feel it shudder beneath him when the darts crunched something deeper in the alien monster.

“Reiny…” Ben felt his rage leave him to be replaced by extreme concern for his best friend. Removing his hand with a sickening schlorp, he leapt off the now still creature and attempted to frantically dig through the rubble around the alien’s head. Just when he felt like it was hopeless, the side of the beast began to rip open from the inside. Ben stepped back as a dripping, bloody Reinrassic III tore through the side of the corpse.

“Reiny! Thank god you’re okay!” Ben exclaimed as he glomped his friend. Reinrassic let out a startled squawk before shoving Ben-Ben off him.

“I have been coated in filth! How dare you attempt contact with me in such a state!” Reinrassic was enraged that Ben-Ben’s chest was now dripping with slime and blood. Had he no respect for his own body?! Ben, meanwhile, had completely forgotten himself.

“Oh, so you don’t care that I’m touching you as long as you’re clean then?” with that he lunged at Reiny, who dodged Ben-Ben with his constant and, as he would say, ‘totally subconscious’ grace.

“C-cease this now!” Reinrassic attempted to order, but it only thrilled Ben that he had gotten the Impare to stumble over his words. Soon he was lunging out at Reinrassic, who in turn dodged. Then Reinrassic began swiping at Ben-Ben. Ben seemed to just doge the swats without giving it much thought. The two Impares moved gracefully around one another. So close, yet just out of reach. Despite that Ben felt happier than he had since his transformation. Like walking on air, or being made of light.

“If the two of you have finished your dance lesson we should get that vile gunk off you,” The Highbreeds froze, and turned towards the interruption. Frustra stood with the DNAliens near the large hole in the wall. Suddenly remembering himself, Ben flushed even deeper than Reinrassic had. Though, sneaking a glance at the older Highbreed, maybe Reiny was still winning.

“Wait,” a thought suddenly crossed Ben-Ben’s mind, “that was dancing?”

“What? You did not- *gasp* Were the two of you flirting?” Frustra teased, wiggling her eyes at the two.

“N-no! Absolutely no- we were, that was-” Reinrassic began rambling like an embarrassed school girl. Ben stood silently smiling to himself. Maybe this party would be kind of fun. As long as Reiny was there at least. Ben laughed at how cute- FUNNY, at how funny Reiny was being.

He went to walk around Frustra when his foot hit something. He looked down at the dismembered DNAlien, and his heart fell to his stomach. He didn’t feel sick because body parts littered the hall, blood already crusting on black metal. Instead, he was utterly disgusted with himself. These DNAliens had just died for them, and he’d thought nothing of it. Glancing around, he quickly realized that no one did. Not even the other DNAliens. They just chittered placidly off to the side as Reinrassic and Frustra talked. This was wrong. He was the hero, it was his job to look out for everybody. He couldn’t just stop caring he-

“Ben-Ben?” Reinrassic interrupted Ben’s panic with a sudden look of concern.

“I’m… fine.”

“Come on guys. Let us leave here.” Frustra and Reinrassic led Ben back to the ship. The small happy moment was gone. All Ben could think was,

“What’s happening to me? Whatever I’m becoming, it’s not gonna happen. I am Ben Kirby Tennyson, I am a human. I care. I am a hero.”

He thought about what Paul had said about the Xnenomorphes affecting the minds of their hosts. He needed to look into that. He needed to be better.


	5. Chapter 5

Not having to dress up for a party was both weird and a relief. It was everything Ben had feared it would be. Everyone was standing around, drinking, talking, and staring at him. Ben-Ben shifted uncomfortably as he held onto a wide, shallow dish of some kind of alcohol that matched everyone else’s. Reinrassic stood next to him, family coming and going, helping him a bit with the slew of questions being thrown at him. What really weirded Ben out was the older Highbreed. 

They were bigger, spottier and greyer than the Highbreed closer to Ben and Reiny’s age. Some of the very old ones were hunched over, but they got so big! Their stomachs were looser too, the black spines on their face seemed to fall and elongate, growing massive, colorful shells over their “heads.” Well, only the infirms had the shells, but all of the elders’ wings were long and overgrown, draping over their bodies like dirty skirts.

And the hall, it was so much brighter than most of the Highbreed architecture. It was still on the moon, so the sky was a mess of stars, but you could only see them through the circular windows. These massive disks of clear… well glass maybe but Ben didn’t know; were clustered side by side, squished on the ceiling and disbursing towards the floor.

He could see Augstaka through them. It looked a lot like earth, if not a bit more purple in the parts that would have been blue and more red where Earth would have been brown. The spaces between the windows were pale wheat gold while the circles around the windows black. Ivory and silver rods glittered and dangled from the ceiling like the stars were delicately raining down. 

There were DNAliens here too, but they were basically ignored unless someone wanted something.

“Ben-Ben,” Ben snapped back to the discussion.

“What?” 

“It is my father,” Reinrassic nodded to a large Highbreed walking over. Ben-Ben had started getting used to looking at Highbreed, picking up on the minute differences between the members of the clone-like species. However, Reinrassic the second needed no such distinction. A long, heavy scar ran up his body from his right ankle to his left shoulder. A smaller scar ran parallel across his face. He stalked forward, hands folded behind his back which was almost perfectly straight. He was at least two thirds larger than Reinrassic, and limped on his right. “Try not to take what he says too seriously,” Reinrassic III hissed.

“Son,” Reinrassic II’s low voice rumbles.

“Father,” Reiny nodded. “You have yet to meet my companion, Ben-Ben Tennison.” He stepped aside, gesturing to Ben.

“Uh, H-hello,” Ben-Ben nodded. Reinrassic II nodded back.

“I have not, it is a pleasure,” he nodded then, just the same way that Reiny had when they first met. “You are as pure in appearance as I had heard.”

“Thank you?”

“Kaw,” Reinrassic II laughed, “Off put? It is fine, my visage has been ruined for decades.”

“Oh- I, sorry, it’s not that. I’m- I am just not used to seeing other Highbreed yet I guess. This is my first time seeing anyone but Reinrassic’s siblings in person.” He rubbed the back of his head.

“Quite the culture shock, no? I can tell how timid you are from across the room.”

“Father!”

“I jest, I jest,” he chuckled. “You are from Earth, yes? That’s what you said?” 

“Uh,” Ben-Ben blinked, no one had done anything but dismiss that fact thus far. 

“I work in intelligence, you see. Your case was handed to me due to the fact that you are a responsibility of the Devalah house.” He gestured for Reiny and Ben-Ben to follow him. Ben looked to Reiny who was already walking after his father. Ben-Ben followed too. They left the lavish banquet hall, going into a high ceilinged, dimly lit hallway. “I have found something, but first, what is your middle name?”

“Kirby, why?” Ben asked, clearly not liking the name based on the vitriol he said it with. 

“I see,” the old Highbreed impare nodded. “You told me the names of your family members as well. I have to admit, I was rather shocked to find that they are all real.” If Reiny had a jaw, it would've dropped. “And, they are all human.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you guys!”

“Yes, yes, and you know your grandfather was a Plumber?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“A very famous plumber, who married an alien from Highbreed space?” Now it was Ben Ben’s turn to look surprised. 

“I… never met my grandma. No one ever talked about her.”

“Wait, how do we know that this is really his family?” Reinrassic III hurriedly said. Reinrassic II produced a pad from behind his back and opened it to a file. There was a picture of Grandpa Max. He was younger, and in full plumber gear.

“This is Maxwell Tennyson, one of the most famous Plumbers alive, apparently. He has two half-breed children with an Anodite named Verdona, she is a wanted criminal. There are three grandchildren in the family, including one Benjamin Kirby Tennyson.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Reinrassic hissed.

“Oh, it gets better,” his father stated. “Apparently, the young human came in contact with a rare piece of technology called the Omnitrix. We have very little understanding of what this device does, but it was made by a Galvan named Azmuth- who is also a wanted criminal. It seems Ben was making quite the name for himself before he was kidnapped by none other than Vilgax shortly before you discovered our Ben on that wasteland.” Reiny took a step back, rubbing a space between his upper eyes like he had a headache.

“Do you mean to tell me that this entire time, he was telling the truth?”

“Perhaps, though I can not say for certain.”

“It is certain! I’m Ben Kirby Tennyson, that’s me!”

“But you are pure Atasian! How is this possible?”

“The machine! When Vilgax took me he had to use this thing to remove the Omnitrix and it made my body all weird. Like, I was shifting and changing between aliens and morphing and then he threw me out and I ended up as a Highbreed!” 

Silence. Both Reinrassics stared at him before Reinrassic II nodded. 

“I see now.”

“You do?”

“Yes,” the old Highbreed said, “it all makes sense now. It evolved you!”

“What?”

“Rapid evolution, no doubt on accident, to alter the fundamentals of your DNA. I might not know a great deal about the Omnitrix, but I know it was a DNA altering device. Of course it would have had to have had a set base to return you to your human form. So, he evolved you in order to change your DNA and remove it as it would recognize you no longer!”

“Of course!” Reiny exclaimed, “And, as Highbreed are the pinnacle of Evolution, it only makes sense that you would become one of us!”

“I don’t know if-”

“We will have to do a few tests, but this is an incredible discovery!” Reinrassic II announced.

“But-”

“No no, go back to your party, enjoy yourselves. We will speak on this tomorrow.” It was a blur, Reiny leading him back to the party, Ben standing, trying to focus, but all he could think about was home. 

He’d always been part alien? He had no way of contacting his family and telling them he was alive, so what did it matter? 

He felt trapped.

“Reiny?” Ben-Ben whispered, quiet enough that no one but Reiny could hear.

“G-” Reiny was about to tell Ben-Ben not to call him that until he saw how upset Ben-Ben looked. “What’s wrong?”

“Can we leave?”

“Are… are you certain that you want to go? We have not even gotten to the dancing yet.”

“I’m certain. I’m sorry, I just…”

“It is alright to be upset, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Family is important.” He looked around, “We will go now, come.” The ride home seemed to drag on forever in silence until they neared Reiny’s home. Reiny was driving and Ben-Ben was sitting next to him. “I am sorry for not realizing you were upset.”

“You aren’t mad?”

“Why would I be mad at you?”

“Because I’m a vermin,” Ben spat.

“You are a Highbr-”

“No I am not!” Ben snapped. “I’m a human, even if I’m a highbreed now I was a human, my family are humans and I come from a human planet. If I had still been human when you found me wouldn’t have been nice! You might not have even rescued me!” Reiny slumped.

“Perhaps not.” Reiny landed his ship. He leaned back and sighed. “You are correct. I might not have rescued you, and for that I am sorry. You,” he guiltily looked over at Ben-Ben out of the corner of his eyes. “You are… kind. You are curious, brave… you are admirable, Ben-Ben. Had you been still human we would have never met, and I would never have known what I missed.”

Ben lost some of his anger, getting confused and feeling something funny in his chest.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Reiny turned to face Ben in his seat. 

“It means, never meeting you would be a tragedy. And-” Reiny put one long, strong arm on Ben-Ben’s chair and one around his waist. He pulled Ben-Ben in and opened his chest flaps. Without even thinking Ben-Ben put his hands on Reiny’s shoulders and opened his chest too. He could feel Reiny’s inner heat coming off his tentacles before they clashed together. Four wet appendages pushed and pulled at each other, mouth like tips sucking on delicate skin in a crushing kiss. Black carapaces clacked together in a clumsy desperation for closeness.

Ben felt his side gaps open wider, gasping for breath as Reinrassic tried to steal it. Reiny pulled and Ben pushed, forcing himself up into Reiny’s lap. He flared his wings as Reiny’s hands moved, one holding his “head,” the other moving lower. Hard black claws grazed over his ass to clutch his thigh just beneath while the other tickled his sensitive face spines. 

Ben purred. His chest vibrated with every breath and that only spurred Reiny on, rolling his chest up into Ben’s luxurious, velvety heat. He worked one of his tentacles up into Ben’s chest as Ben softly bumped their “heads” together. Ben moaned at the surprisingly pleasant intrusion. Once he felt Reiny starting to purr too he noticed a burning itch in his lower regions. 

Then, a pang of something he couldn’t quite place. 

He pulled back. Reiny took a second to regain himself but quickly pulled back his tentacles. 

“Forgive me,” he closed his chest, “I acted out of turn. I was-”

“I liked it,” Ben-Ben shook his head. “I’m sorry. It’s not you.” Ben-Ben backed off. “I’m gonna go to bed.”

“...Good night.”

“... yeah.” Ben ran off, heart beating against his sternum. 

………………..

Ben did go to bed, but he couldn’t sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes he was brought back to his encounter with Reinrassic. His strong hands, his broad chest that rumbled beneath Ben’s hands hands when he purred.

The tingly feeling returned.

It was coming from between his legs, but, when one of Ben’s hands traveled down there was nothing there. There were lots of things Ben had had to learn about his new body, including how to go to the bathroom. The Highbreeds' bodies were much more efficient it seemed than human bodies. They didn’t need to eat or drink as much as humans did. Often, breakfast was their only daily meal. All water was used or lost through respiration. All waste was released through the black diamond on their “faces” in the form of little marble-like “poops” that they “spat” out. 

The whole Highbreed biology was so backwards to Ben, it wasn’t really humanoid, or insect-like or reptilian. It was like nothing on earth. So, when exploring where his nethers had once been suddenly started producing a slick substance, Ben wasn’t nearly as weirded out as he should have been. 

He sat up, looking down so see a clear, somewhat sticky fluid smeared between his legs. If Ben had learned anything while walking through different bodies, it was to follow your instincts. 

He relaxed, and, much like on his chest mouth, four hidden flaps open between his legs. There was a less prominent black carapace, with a large open space in the middle full of pulsing reddish purple organs. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, a dick?

Two dicks?

Instead, as he poked around at his strange body, a tentacle, so smooth, dark, and hard he almost mistook it for more carapace began to push out of his privates. He hissed when it touched the cool air, it was more sensitive than an open wound. Closing his hand around it was so overwhelming it almost hurt. He stroked it slowly, breath laboring as he became more aroused. The harder he stroked it, the slicker it became.

Thick ropes of sticky lubricant made strings from his fist to his pelvis. The tentacle wasn’t very thick, it was long and glassy, getting longer. It wrapped itself around Ben’s palm before inching up his wrist. By the time it was around his palm twice and his wrist three times he wasn’t even really stroking it anymore, just pulling his arm away and letting the tentacle pull it back, trying to get all the friction he could.

“Fuck fuck fuck-” He panted, body having brought itself up into a strange arched squat as his wings flared out as far as possible. Suddenly, cold air hit something else that made him gasp. With one arm stuck, he had to fall on his knees to reach his other hand down. He felt around his pelvic carapace and the hot, pulsing flesh beneath. He touched the base of his “cock” before passing it by to reach for the new sensation. Two smallish sections of carapace had parted, flesh swelling up and pushing on the black “bone” making a fleshy entrance into a soaking cavity. 

At first, Ben was nervous to touch it with his claws, but his instincts led him to a simple solution. He opened his chest and sent a tentacle worming down his chest, guiding it slightly with his hands to “lick” his hole. He shivered, tasting himself and finding the flavor uniquely indescribable. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t really good either. 

The taste didn’t matter, though. It felt good, the hot appendage contrasting the cool air. Without really knowing what he was doing, Ben pressed the tentacle against his hole, grinding it into the nerves. It hurt a little, but that pain was well worth the sparks lighting up his body, making him choke on gasps and little moans.

“Oh my go- aw fuck! Yes!” There was no way the tentacle was going in. It was so much thicker than the one on his arm. But it still felt so fucking good. His skin was flushed purple, and he could almost imagine steam rolling off him. He felt so hot. Even with air moving almost freely in and out of his lungs he was out of breath.

He was so close, the blackish tentacle gripped him harder. He pressed his “mouth” tentacle roughly against his hole, slick already soaking the inside of his thighs. It just wasn’t enough. He was so close but he needed more.

His mind went back to the ship. He imagined Reinrassic’s warmth pressing against him. Tried to imagine it was Reinrassic’s hand on his “dick.” 

So close, so close, so close-

“Ben-Ben,” The imaginary growl from Reiny against his antena shot lightning down his spine and into his blood. An inhuman sound broke out of his chest as the black tentacle gripped him so hard it felt like his wrist would break. A bright red fluid violently leaked from the skin of his “cock” like a leech expelling all its blood. It ran down his arm, dripping down onto his bed as his hole tried to pull his “tongue” in deeper, only managing to move against the “mouth” of the too thick tentacle. 

Ben held his position, hunched over on one hand and his knees, panting. Steam might not have been rolling off his skin, but he could see his breath coming out in white puffs from his sides. He cursed again at seeing his now stained sheets.

“I need a shower,” he said out loud before collapsing on his side. He waited as his body unwound itself. The black tentacle relaxed slowly, crawling back up into his body. He retracted his “tongue”, but left his chest open to let off heat.

Ben felt his carapace and hole with his fingers, waiting as the swelling in the flesh went down and the two parts were brought back together, creating a tight, smooth seal. Ben remained laying down for several minutes before finally dragging himself up out of bed to get clean. 

……………………

Morning was awkward beyond belief. There was no way that Reiny knew what Ben-Ben had done, not unless the DNAlien that had taken his wet, but no longer stained, sheets figured it out and told him. He apologised so much. Just thinking about the whole ordeal made him start to turn purple. 

Reinrassic was waiting for him in the dining room. It was a cosy place with a round table surrounded by chairs. Reiny had sat so he would see Ben-Ben enter. For the first time since he arrived, Ben sat across from Reiny, as far as possible. He didn’t mean it as anything bad, but knowing what he did about Highbreed culture and the way Reiny tried not to slump in his seat, it probably was. 

Getting up and moving closer felt like it would be even weirder. 

“... uh,” Ben-en cleared his throat, “hi…”

“...Hello, Benjamin-”

“I like Ben-Ben better,” Ben said, cutting Reiny off. He instantly regretted it as Both Highbreed stared at each other. When Reiny didn’t respond Ben started panicking. Way to fuck things up even more. “I’m sorry, I mean, Yes, that’s my full first name and you can totally call me that if you want. I mean, I call you Reiny even though I know you don’t like it so who am I to stop you? I’m sorry, I… I…”

“I do like it,” Renrassic nearly mumbled. Now it was Ben’s turn to be speechless. “It… makes me feel special. It is something that only you call me. Like, and inside phrase just between us… However… Everyone calls you Ben-Ben. You have given me a ‘knick-name’ yet I have- I am not even creative enough to come up with something to call you.” He shifted his wings over his shoulders and back. “If you want a knick-name, that is.”

“You can, uh, call me Kirby,” Ben let out a stressed little laugh, “I hate that name. I kept it a secret till third grade, but one of the subs let it slip when she did roll call and,” he laughed again, fondly remembering the awful experience, “Cash really laid into me with it. Kirby is the name of this little pink videogame character, you see, and he, like, eats things to gain their abilities to use in the game. So, Cash and J.T. decided to call me Kirby for weeks after that. They stuck gum in my hair, put worms in my lunch, pushed me down and made me eat dirt and grass on the soccer field,” when Ben laughed this time it was strained, he couldn’t look at Reinrassic anymore. “It- I mean, they did stuff like that anyway, but when they did it while making fun of my name… it made sense? Like, it felt like they had a reason to humiliate me because I was actually embarrassed. Not just because I was weak, but because there was something wrong with me…” He didn’t feel like laughing anymore. His fingers threaded together nervously.

He nearly jumped when Reinrassic got up and moved to sit next to Ben. He wasn’t that close, but now they were looking right at each other again, both turned to their sides in their seats. 

“It sounds as though there is much negativity tied to this name. I would not like to use it if it will upset you.”

“No, I want you to use it. There’s only so many ways you can change up Benjamin, you know? And, it… might be nice to start liking my name.” He wanted to reach out to Reinrassic. He was so touch starved. He would give anything for a hug from his mom right now. But his family was impossibly far away. 

“As you wish,” Reiny nods, hands twitching to touch Ben-Ben again. He was ashamed of his desire, feeling like he’d taken advantage of his friend last night. Ben had been emotional, upset, and Reinrassic had made a move on him without prior discussion. 

He’d kissed Ben-Ben.

He’d done it knowing that Ben-Ben was a human.

He’d fallen for a human.

What kind of Highbreed falls for a lower life form? No, calling Ben-Ben that didn’t feel right. Yet, he had been, even if he was a Highbreed now, he had been human. His whole explanation of why he disliked his middle name had been full of what Reinrassic assumed was human slang because none of that made sense. And now, he couldn’t get it out of his head.

He should be disgusted. Instead, he was desperate to be closer. He’d moved closer despite Ben-Ben purposely sitting as far as possible. 

What would everyone else think? Would the other Devalah disown Ben-Ben? The thought instantly angered him. He wouldn’t forgive them for being so shallow-

The tapping to a DNAlien’s little claws entering the room made Reinrassic’s heart stop. He looked down at the thing as more filled in with their food. 

He tried to imagine what a human-based DNAlien would look like. He tried to imagine what Ben-Ben would look like if he were human. 

What...what would Reinrassic look like if he were human?

Neither impare spoke until the DNAliens were done setting out the mostly liquid meal. 

“Thank you,” Ben-Ben said automatically. The DNAliens paused, but seemed to accept the words.

“Thank you,” The words felt strange leaving him. Reinrassic wanted to disappear when Ben-Ben and the DNAliens all stared at him. The DNAliens chittered, looking nervous, like something was wrong and of course it was. He had never, never thanked a DNAlien in his life. His DNAliens had become used to Ben-Ben’s odd behavior, but coming from him? “Leave,” He ordered, and suddenly they were hurrying off, leaving him and Ben alone once more.

He dropped his head into his hand with a sigh. What was he doing? 

He glanced over to Ben-Ben. The bright expression on the younger impare was almost blinding. 

What was this man making him into?


	6. Changing is a Choice

Sorry for the late update, and I really want to say thank you to everyone who gave such great reviews. Your input really helps me as this is kind of a side project I’m working on alongside many others while going to work and school. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to everyone. I’ve always really sucked at replying to reviews as I usually don’t see them until several days after they are written due to my heavy schedule. But I want you all to know that reading my work, just seeing that you’ve been here is such an inspiration to me to keep going. I hope you are all doing well.

Reinrassic’s house was way bigger than Ben’s had been back on Earth. Though, he had heard one of Reiny’s brothers call it modest. After almost six months here Ben had explored just about every inch of it. There were six bedrooms- apartments really. Each had a separate sleeping space, sitting area, and bathroom. Two of them had kitchenettes. There was a medical room, which Ben had found out was standard for Highbreed, who took their health very seriously. A “mudroom” at the ship landing platform, two massive entertainment spaces, a DNAlien sized kitchen with Highbreed high ceilings, and a library with a ceiling and two walls made of windows. The Highbreed must like clusters of circles because that's what almost all of their windows were made of. Every surface that wasn’t see through had pads with thousands of books worth of data stored on each. 

Ben had been spending more time here recently. Reiny offered to let him read in the office that was attached to his master suite, but he wanted space. Or, rather, solitude. No one had come to visit them since the party, and he could tell Reiny was really stressed. Ben just knew it was his fault. Reiny’s father must’ve told everyone that he’d been telling the truth. Of course, he’d suspected since the beginning that the Highbreed he’d met that were so nice to him were only that way because he was somehow a very pure Highbreed. Being slapped in the face with their double standards still hurt, though. Of course not everyone would be as accepting as his friend.

Were they still friends? Every minute spent near Reinrassic was a little battle not to touch him or apologize for causing a rift between him and his family (which he had been banned from the third time he did it). Never in his life had he been so desperate for physical comfort. He’d never even realized how common it was for him to touch people on a daily basis as a human. Even just fighting with Gwen sounded great right now. 

Gwen… how was she? If he could see her, what would he say? Hey loser! Didja miss me? I know I don’t look like it, but it’s me, Ben!

He sighed, putting down the pad he was staring at to look out the window. The landing pad had a force field to protect ships that parked there from dust blown up from the moon’s silvery surface. The moon was grey, just like Earth’s. Except, the moon dust here was like fine powdered silver. It shone and clung to every surface, turning every building into a statue of silver. He’d only seen DNAliens outside cleaning the windows so he assumed that the Highbreed either liked the look or gave up on trying to clean their buildings. 

He shot up from the couch he’d been sitting on when he heard the door open. Reiny stood in the doorway. He shifted nervously. Ben wasn’t sure what to do. Reiny seemed to have a change of heart after finding out Ben really was human. He was kinder to the DNAliens now, not as nice as he’d like him to be, but Ben had heard from Paul that he’d even thanked them when Ben wasn’t there. 

Now they were just staring at each other.

“I… would you like to go somewhere?”

“Uh, where?” Ben asked, putting away the pad. He was pulled between wanting to jump up and scream “Yes! Get me out of here!” and feeling entirely responsible and unworthy. Had he always been like this? He felt like his mood bounced back faster when he was a kid.

“I have noticed your interest in DNAliens. I thought, maybe you’d like to see a Xenocite hatchery.”

“What, really? Hell yeah! I’d love to go!” Ben nearly started jumping, forgetting his guilt for a short moment until Reiny cleared his throat. “UGH! Yes, I would love to go. Why do you guys hate contractions so much?” He shrunk back into himself, the miserable sensation returning.

“They make you sound lazy.” Ben rolled his eyes. 

“Maybe I am.”

“Oh?” Reiny made a face Ben felt like was a smirk. “And tell me, what do you do with all of the time you save using those contractions of yours?” Reiny took a step forward. Ben laughed, rubbing his arm.

“Well…” Ben put a hand out to touch Reiny’s chest, only to be stopped. Reiny caught Ben’s hand. He slowly threaded their clawed fingers together. 

“I am sorry.”

“For what? Being stuck here?” I should be the one apologise.

“Yes, somewhat.” Reiny used their connected hands to pull Ben back to the couch. “And my family. There has been debate over you these past months.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Ben said. Reiny shook his head.

“I fear a fallout within my house.”

“What? Really? Why?”

“There are seven great houses. The Supreme is not a part of any house, though they are selected from a house. Many Highbreed who lack a direct line give their children to houses in order to give them a chance of becoming Supreme or a council member. They pay a lot to do this, often going into debt to afford the privilege of a name. However, I am the only spawn of my father, so regardless; the line must be passed down through me. Many of the biological families of my brothers and sisters are demanding to have me… displaced for my inappropriate behavior.”

“What’s displaced mean?”

“It is a very old, very severe punishment. My reproductive organs will be harvested and one of my brothers or sisters shall take my place as heir under contract of only reproducing with my genetic material to continue the Devalah bloodline.”

“That’s insane!” Ben lurched forward, “They wouldn’t actually do that, would they?”

“Not likely,” Reiny put his free hand up to calm Ben-Ben, “Only my father or the Supreme could order such a thing. My father would not displace me, and I haven’t heard from the Supreme, so I doubt she is overly concerned.”

“Do your siblings agree?”

“Mmm, some do, some do not. It is… it is a mess.”

“Sounds like it.” 

“Kirby,” Reiny leaned in closer, “I do not blame you. It is our own fault. However, my father is trying to work an angle with the council as several of them are causing discourse over you. I doubt they actually care that much. They just want an excuse to grab a little more power.”

“Still, like, I don’t mean to insult your entire species and culture, but you guys are awful. This is a load of crap!” Ben hissed. 

“We can not be that much worse than humans,” Reiny shrugged. “I am certain that every species has flaws. Though, I am starting to truly see the flaws in mine.”

“Well… yeah, humanity has a lot of issues too-”

“But Highbreed are supposed to be better, to always strive towards an unachievable perfection- further improving in our never ending pursuit!” Reiny growled.

“That’s great but-”

“But we are stagnant! We are complacent. I was complacent.” He let go of Ben’s hand to stand and pace. “It is not just looking down on you, our technology has not improved at the pace it used to in centuries. We cower like the Plumbers before Vilgax when we would have before destroyed that mongrel! I- you just,” Reiny turned to Ben, “Is this how it feels to be a child? To see the problems, but be unable to do anything? Did you too feel powerless? It is as if the world is against me!”

“Yeah, that’s a big part of it.”

“I hate it, children should be banned.”

Ben-Ben couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“There’s some people on Earth who might agree with you,” he chuckled. “But, you know you’re- you are not a kid. In fact, you’re in a position of power. You can change things just, maybe not as fast as you’d- you would like.”

“Still,” Reiny crossed his arms, looking like he was pouting.

“Why don’t we just go, you have been working too long. Like, all you’ve been doing for weeks is work.”

“There is much to do.”

“And I’m not something to do?” Ben demanded, hands on his hips. Reiny stood still, staring at him. Ben-Ben felt himself turn purple. “Th-that came out wrong!”

“Did it now?”

“Shut up! Can we go already?”

………..

In order to get to the hatchery, they had to go to Augstaka. Ben was worried about meeting other Highbreed, but Reinrassic assured him there were only a few Highbreed at the facility, and none of them would bother them. Most of the hatchery was run by DNAliens, as rearing Xenocites required touching them, which Highbreed were of course not fond of unless absolutely necessary. 

He didn’t get to see much of the surface other than from afar. The plants were dark in color, hard and thick like cacti with small, porcelain like flowers. It was slightly warmer here, under the ultramarine sky that Ben-Ben couldn’t look away from for several minutes. The facility itself was much shorter and wider than most Highbreed structures. It was also very industrial, lacking the decoration of most buildings. It smelled like a swimming pool inside, and kind of looked like it. Long lanes of green fluid ran the long way across the floor below. Ben and Reiny stared down from the maze of catwalks above.

The green liquid seemed to glow under the lights that were hung from the bottoms of the catwalks, leaving the two Highbreed in relative darkness. Ben-Ben watched as DNAliens swarmed below. Some of them seemed to be cleaning the pools with nets, others had long claws on sticks they used to snatch the small purple, tentacled, creatures out of the water. The ones grabbing Xenocites would hand them off to another with a floating box table. They put the little guys inside where they were scanned, and either tossed into a large transport tank of green, semi clear, liquid that would be filled with Xenocites and then fly off only for an empty one to take its place. Sometimes, after scanning, they were tossed back. 

Ben watched as a DNAlien with a large container on its back dispensed thick, chunky grey slop into a pot and flung the slop into the tanks as it walked down their length. Everytime the fluid exploded with motion as Ben-Ben assumed the Xenocites went into a feeding frenzy. 

“So, this is where they’re made?”

“No, this is where they’re grown to size,” Reiny explained. “Xenocites are mostly grown through a-sexual reproduction. High quality Xenocites are brought to the labs further in and used to mass produce more.”

“How’s- how does that work?”

“Their limbs are cut off and placed in sterile conditions to grow new Xenocites.”

“Oh,” Ben flinched, “Does it hurt?”

“Without anesthetic, yes, but stressing them impares their regenerative abilities, so their tanks are laced with painkillers and other medications to ensure the process is calm and painless. Otherwise it would be a loud, bloody struggle. Come, I will show you.” Ben followed Reiny toward the labs, only to stop when something caught his eye. There was a small commotion down below.

Ben tried to go back and see what was happening, but Reiny called him to follow. He figured it was nothing, but still glanced over his shoulder as he entered the labs. 

……..

Panic panic panic! One after the other, they snatch, snatched, snatched siblings out of pools. Crowded warm to cold air. It grab me, it scream. No like me. 

Say defective. Say kill. Drop me on hard and slick. Big siblings bring up sticks and bring down. No no no, no die!

I run, slippy slide, they chase, but me fast. They yelling and trying to grab.

Me fast. Me go, me no die.

……….

The lab had many small, clear, but still green tanks with lots of two tentacled Xenocites in various stages of growing back their hind four tentacles. They were calm, cuddled together, looking at Ben-Ben with dreamy eyes. He stared at them. He hadn’t really gotten a good look at them before. The little purple creatures were strangely… cute? 

He turned when he heard someone moving behind him. It was a Highbreed, slightly older than Ben and Reiny, with dark blotches up his arms to his shoulders. He was very dark for a Highbreed despite working in a dim lab. He held a tiny Xenocite in his hands, almost cradling the baby with one unusually large tentacle. He seemed lost in running the back of one claw over its head while it made little high pitched sounds. Ben also noticed, as he and Reiny got closer, that the Xenocites eye, small as it was, was clearly deformed, and filmy. 

Yet, the Highbreed, the species he’d come to see as snobby, harsh, and unwilling to accept imperfections, was handling the baby with so much care. He brought the little creature to his chest and started walking away when Reinrassic, in his infinite eloquence said,

“It is defective.” The other Highbreed startled, bringing his hands up to shield the baby like it might be snatched away. He looked Ben and Reiny up and down without saying anything. “I am Reinrassic III of house Devalah, this is Ben-Ben Tennyson, we have clearance to visit today.” Reiny nodded in greeting. The other Highbreed relaxed slightly, but still kept his guard up. He glared slightly at the both of them.

“So, that was today? Tch, I am Curant, go where you please, but do not touch anything.”

“What are you going to do with that?” Ben asked, pointing at the baby. The other Highbreed turned to look straight ahead.

“It is defective. It must be terminated and disposed of,” Curant said robotically. 

“Do you do that with all the ‘defective’ ones?”

“Yes, I am the main Highbreed worker at this facility. I take care of all the Xenocites in the labs and oversee the DNAliens.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, it must be a hard job.” Curant looked at him quizzically, “You seem to really like them, it must be hard to put them down.”

“...Put them down?”

“Oh, uh,” Ben rubbed the back of his head, “it’s a saying on Earth, it means that you’re- you are killing them, but painlessly. It is what people do when they have animals that are so sick or injured that the only other option for them is slow, painful death.” Curant seemed to consider this. His glare turned into a guarded consideration.

“It is… a kinder way of saying it than ‘termination.’” He glanced at Reiny before looking again at Ben-Ben, “Do you like Xenocites?”

“They are very cute, yes,” Ben-Ben smiled and Curant seemed to light up.

“Most Highbreed only see them as tools, not as living creatures, but you are not most Highbreed, are you?”

“Ha ha… not really. Born and raised human, so…” Ben could tell he looked nervous, and he was pretty sure Reiny was too. Curant stepped just a bit closer. 

“We are not a hive mind, Ben-Ben Tennyson, many Highbreed, especially those not affiliated with the core families, are more accepting. We like to think of ourselves as modern, though,” he stared at Reiny, “it is not an opinion we often share.”

“How much of the Highbreed population is unaffiliated with the families?” Ben asked.

“Roughly sixty seven percent of the population.”

“Oh, so… you don’t think I’m…”

“There are many opinions of you, and word travels quickly. Some think you are a scientific wonder, proving our superiority, others- an abomination or fraud. I heard a recent theory that you are evidence that Highbreed are not superior. You were largely considered a good, interesting person. Yet, the moment your past was revealed, those you spoke so highly of you turned on you. It is clear hypocrisy, disgusting.”

“It isn’t like I lied or anything…” Ben said. Reiny had to look away, he hunched his shoulders uncharacteristically.

“I care little,” Curant stated, “There isn’t much to see. Offices, labs, and storage are upstairs. The nursery, more storage, and the DNAlien quarters are downstairs. Show yourselves around.” He left in a hurry after that, like he couldn’t stand to be around them any longer.

“He was… unusual,” Ben-Ben started moving to look around at the babies. Reiny stayed where he was, staring at a screen on Curant’s desk.

……

No want upstairs? That where me go! Stairs hard, grab rails. One catch me, but me bite. 

No, no no, me getting out, go go-

There! Open door!

…..

Reinrassic looked over the forum that Curant had left open on his computer. It must’ve been an accident because this… this was absurd! Pictures of other Xenocite breeders from across the empire with their products, but, they weren’t just holding them out of necessity; they were… cuddling them? They held them up to their faces, made them wave at the camera with their tentacles, and the comments!

So cute!

She has a lovely sheen!

It’s colors are phenomenal, just wanna squish it!

By the hand of the Supreme, they were obsessed. How was it possible for a Highbreed of all creatures to fawn over mere tools?

“Reiny, look at this one!” Kirby gasped. Reiny turned to see the Highbreed shaped human clasping his hands to his chest and staring wide eyed at the babies. Well, Ben-Ben was expected to do such strange things, but regular Highbreed? He looked back at the screen, scrolling through some more posts. Most were clearly of lower birth, certainly no one he’d recognised in relation to the main families. Of course, the Highbreed directly affiliated with the seven families were in the minority. Was this just a thing among “regular” Highbreed?

Wham

Screee!

Reiny and Ben jumped when a white streak followed by a bunch of DNAliens burst into the room. The screaming little white thing scrambled towards Ben-Ben. Reinrassic immediately shot out claw darts at it. They all missed and before he could do anything the creature slid behind Ben-Ben, clinging to his leg and hissing.

“Great ones!” One of the DNAliens exclaimed, “Please, forgive our grievous mistake! We-”

“Woah…” Ben-Ben reached down.

“Do not touch it!” Reinrassic barked. But even as he stomped over it was pointless, Ben-Ben picked up the speedy little Xenocite. He held it gently, like a burger, as it stared up at him with it’s one, watery pink eye. “Tennyson- put that down!”

“But…”

“What is all this commotion?!” Curant stormed back in and immediately honed in on the DNAliens. “What do you think you’re doing in here with those?!” He pointed a long claw at the electric nets and hooks the DNAliens were carrying. “You put those down before you break something!”

“S-sorry, please have mercy on our foolish selves!” They all quickly set their tools down before one of them pointed at the Xenocyte Ben-Ben was holding. “We were trying to capture the defective one!”

“Defective-” He looked at what Ben-Ben was holding. “Oh. How did that get past me?” He said nervously, looking over at Reinrassic who crossed his arms disapprovingly. 

“Dismiss your DNAliens, I have a few questions for you.”

……….

Reinrassic stood over Curant and Ben-Ben, who was still holding the Xenocyte, in Curant’s office like a disapproving mother.

“-Illegally selling the defective ones after marking them as disposed. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?!”

“Yes.”

“What did you think would happen if someone associated with the families came here?!”

“You are the first to ever actually come and look around!” Curant exclaimed, “They only visit maybe three times a year and they never pay attention to anything!” He stood, a little taller than Reiny, “So? What are you going to do? Demote me? Take my job away? Hunt down my clients and partners?”

“I-”

“And what is wrong with it to begin with? Why must we be so cold and removed? Why must we deny ourselves physical affection?”

“Curant-”

“Well I do not care if you think it is barbaric, or wrong! I like having pets, I enjoy showering lower beings with affection just like you!”

“WHAT?!”

“You and Ben-Ben Tennison, the human in a Highbreed body! He might be of pure blood, but he will never, never be a true Augstakian! He will never be like you ‘traditional’ emotionless, mentally stunted-”

“ENOUGH!” Reinrassic roared, “I am doing nothing!” Curant blinked, all his righteous rage disappearing into confusion. Ben sat in shocked silence, looking between the two larger Highbreed while holding the little albino Xenocite. 

“You… are not having me arrested?”

“No,” Reinrassic sighed, “Do you know you left a forum up on your screen back there that I could use to find the other sellers?” Curant cringed. “I could have you all arrested, demoted, and be done with it, but I will not.” He looked over at Ben-Ben, “I believe… this may be an opportunity.”

“I don’t like that look,” Ben-Ben squinted, “That’s the look I get when I have a bad idea.”

“Oh, I know,” Reinrassic looked back at Curant, who shrank back, “You are correct, I have a great preference for Ben-Ben, and, unfortunately, there are some who have decided to use that as an opportunity to gain power.”

“Okay, I do not see how the illegal sale of Xenocites can help with that, but if it allows me to continue then I am listening.”

“I want to know the extent of your business, and if you are willing to die for it.”

“Woah, woah, woah-” Ben-Ben started.

“Die?!” Curant took a whole step back.

“You are right, I can’t change Ben-Ben, however, I am in a position of power, one that I intend to use to my full advantage.”

“Reinrassic!” Ben almost reached out to grab Reiny but stopped himself, “Just what are you intending to do?”

“If I cannot change you; and I do not want to I will have you know, then I will change the Highbreed.”

“...”

“...By the Supreme…” Curant whispered.

“He’s lost it,” Ben gave a helpless laugh. The Xenocite in his arms chirped as if in agreement.


	7. Falling from the sky

Reinrassic had thrown himself into his work, having Ben-Ben help him scour different forums and communities. Ben was shocked by how different the Highbreed were, how human-like and varied they were. Almost all of the Highbreed he’d met so far seemed so similar they could’ve passed as a hive mind. They all seemed so certain that this was the way things were and this was how Highbreed acted. It was no wonder that Reiny seemed to be having a major world shift every time Curant sent them a new bit of info that Reiny had no idea about.

Apparently, regular Highbreed were out going on lowkey vacations to planets within the Empire, keeping Xenocytes and other small creatures as pets, thinking of their DNAliens as members of the families, wearing accessories, eating cultural foods from different planets, talking about mental health problems, and so many other things that just seemed like normal activities to Ben. 

Yet, all of these things were enjoyed in secret on forums that required special permission to enter. The Highbreed didn’t really monitor online activity, infact, social media was viewed as a commoner’s activity. The high society folk Ben-Ben had met would just go speak to someone face to face if they wanted to talk unless it was an emergency. 

It bothered Ben as he looked through these people’s lives and saw them so nervous about their families finding out about them simply treating their DNAliens like people. Ben even found an anonymous community were people vented about how bad they felt for shaming family members for un Highbreed-like behavior. It felt like the shiny Highbreed facade had been ripped away, revealing an entire society of repressed teenagers.

“Chrr,” Ben patted the little Xenocyte’s head.

“Yeah, Squish, I guess we should,” Ben sighed, leaning back in his chair. Reiny had set up a little station in his office for Ben-Ben to work at. He was facing away from Reiny against a wall, so he had to lean back and twist to look at him. Reiny was staring through the screen, wearing an expression Ben had never seen before on any Highbreed. “Reiny?”

Ben got up, going behind him to look at his screen. A web page titled, “Old fashioned new parenting” was pulled up with an article on the benefits of close family interactions. A picture of a parent hugging their child, that’s what he was staring at. Ben put his hand gently on Reiny’s shoulder. He jumped and immediately tried to close the page on instinct.

“Wait, Reiny!” Ben had to physically stop him from exiting out.

“I am sorry, I was no-”

“It is fine.” Ben let go, “Do… do you want to talk about it?” Reinrassic looked away.

“...I…promise me you will not think poorly of me.” Ben sat down on the desk while Reiny nervously rubbed his right hand. 

“I promise.” Reiny took several breaths, the words coming out forced, almost painful.

“My mother was… low born, and a half breed. I am one quarter methanosian. It was quite the scandal when my father took her as his mate. She was… incredibly affectionate. She held me as a newborn, resisted putting me in a pod and often took me out during my development.”

“Aren't those pods like, learning things?”

“Yes, she was often accused of holding me back when she did it.”

“But, you are super smart!”

“I am very advanced, yes. I have always strived to prove myself. I… have told my siblings my obsession with performance was to prove my heritage did not define me.” His voice wavered, strong, stoic, sometimes flustered Reinrassic hunched over and choked. “It was for her. I wanted to live up to her expectations. When-” His voice cracked, “when I was young she used to tell me how proud she was of me, how I was her pride and joy, but I did nothing!” It took Ben a moment to realize Reiny had started crying. Tears starting to roll down his chest. “I had never done anything to earn that. She died for me, I was nine, we were coming home when we were hit by an out of control ship. The speed at which we were moving fused us together and sent us crashing down. The scars my father has are from that incident. I would have been dead if not for my mother. She shielded me with her body.” He started picking at his upper arm. “She died for me.” 

Ben was about to give his condolences when Reiny suddenly found a previously unseen seam on his arm and began peeling away a thin glove that covered nearly his entire right arm. Ben was speechless as Reiny revealed one green arm that was connected with veiny scar tissue to his regular pale flesh. 

“This was the only injury I received. She was not able to shield all of me in time. I thought I would be an amputee, but this grew after a few days. I inherited this ability from her.” He held the hand out to Ben, who carefully took it. It felt like a smooth wood carving. Reiny was silent, waiting for Ben-Ben’s reaction. 

“... Can you photosynthesize with it?”

“What?”

“Well, uh, it’s green, so it has chlorophyll, right? And Highbreed are sort of evolved from plants. So could you photosynthesise though it?”

“...” Reiny blinked. He looked down at his hand then back up at Ben. Suddenly he was laughing. He laughed so hard he had to hold his stomach with his free hand, tears still falling down his face and chest as he wiped them away. “I never considered it!” Reiny stood and Ben rushed forward so quickly that Reiny was almost forced back down. Ben squeezed him tight. “It doesn’t bother you?”

“You’re beautiful, Reiny, all of you. And you don’t have to work hard to earn your mom’s love, or anyone else’s. You deserve love because you’re a thinking, feeling being and you need it. We all need it.” Great, now Ben was crying. “Loving and being proud of their kids is what Moms do! No matter what, everytime, my mom was always there. She helped me when I was hurt, and held me when I was scared, not because I earned it, but because she loved me!” Ben pulled back. “You don’t have to earn love, Reiny! It’s given to you, that’s why, no matter what-” Ben had to pause to wipe away his own tears because he couldn’t see clearly anymore. 

“I love you too,” Reinrassic said, low and soft. “No matter what... I was considering leaving.”

“Leaving?”

“I could relinquish my title, we could go anywhere, do anything we want, just us. We could even slip through the security at the border and go to Earth-”

“Stop!” Ben cut him off, “You can’t! You said you wanted to change things here, and I believe in you! If anyone can change the Highbreed it is you!”

“Hmph,” Reiny looked away, trying to compose himself despite the blush creeping up. “I said considering, however, you are correct. I cannot leave. I do not want to. I want-” He looked back at the screen, then down at his arm. He watched his arm move to stroke the side of Ben’s face as if it wasn’t his, as if he wasn’t the one making it move. “I want the Highbreed to feel the way I do.” Suddenly he pulled back. “And I know where I must start.” He swiftly sat back down and opened a messaging app, typing furiously in it. 

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m organizing a family meeting to discuss our recent issues, and, the possibility of a new family head.”

“What?!” Ben-Ben grabbed his own head, “You just said you weren’t stepping down!”

“Ha! They’ll have to pry the Devalah house from my cold dead claws.”

“Then what are you doing?” Ben asked as Reiny hit send and stood back up.

“Weeding out the impurities.” Reinrassic started for the door. Ben-Ben followed after him, scooping up the Xenocyte Squishy who had been watching in confusion this whole time. 

“You’re not putting your glove back on?”

“I do not need it.”

“You’re just going in like that? Will that not make it harder to get them to listen to you?” Reiny paused then went back for his glove.

“On second thought, you have given me an idea.” 

………..

Ben had never been to the old family home where Reinrassic’s father lived before. It was more of a palace or a museum. It was a mountain of dark spires in what Ben-Ben assumed to be very classical Highbreed architecture. It was haunting, like an old cathedral. Reinrassic made him leave Squishy with Paul, but Ben understood why. Whatever Reiny was doing was a delicate operation. 

Reinrassic walked swiftly and with purpose. He looked straight ahead, moving with a grace Ben found impossible to look away from.

“Look forward, first impressions are everything,” Reinrassic ordered.

“I have met your family before.”

“Yes, but you have not met their families.”

“Their families?”

“The biological families of my brothers and sisters. I have invited them as well as they seem to be the most upset by our predicament. I suspect that even if they did oppose my actions, my brothers and sisters would not risk leaving the family over disagreeing with me. For the most part, I have had very few disagreements with them.”

“Then, getting rid of you sounds rather drastic.”

“It does, especially seeing my exemplary behavior and ability.”

“Right,” Ben smiled, “So, what is the plan?”

“The plan is to weed out opposition to the main family,” Ben and Reiny stopped. Both looked down a side hall as Reinrassic II glided out from around the corner. “It has been some time, Son. You have been hiding.”

“Hiding is a strong word, father. I prefer ‘preparing,’ or, ‘researching in a controlled and private environment,’” Reiny huffed.

“I prefer, ‘ignoring your father when he tries to contact you.’” Reinrassic looked away. “I can see that you have not opened any of my messages. So, I will tell you now, in person.”

“Whatever you need to say, you may say it after-”

“No.” Reinrassic II got as close as he could to Reiny, almost looming over him, “You will listen now.” If Highbreed could gulp nervously, Reiny would have done just that. Instead, he flexed his gills. “The Supreme has begun preparing for her inevitable replacement. She has been looking very closely at you.”

“I see, so the Devalah family has been passed over once again,” Reiny said flatly. Reinrassic II put a hand to his head like he had a headache and sighed.

“No you stupid boy, though it is a wonder why we have not been,” The older Highbreed moved his hand through the air like he’s spelling something out for a toddler while the other hand remained folded behind his back. “The Supreme, and as far as I am aware no one else knows this, favors you.”

“...” Reiny blinked, brain struggling to process, “She does?... Why?”

“I do not know. You’ve become so… different as of late.” He looked down at Ben-Ben, “Yet, it is only recently that she has taken interest.”

“Maybe she’s looking for someone more progressive?” Ben shrugged nervously.

“Progressive…” Reinrassic seemed to mull over the word. “Perhaps.” He looked back at Reiny, “Once this meeting is over I will be scheduling a meeting with the Supreme for you. Do not squander this opportunity.” The harsh, slow way that the patriarch of the Devalah house spoke was so different from how he was when Ben-Ben first met him that it was frightening. Had Ben really driven such a wedge between the Reinrassics? Reinrassic II turned and started down the hall without a word, leaving Reiny and Ben to follow him into a meeting room. 

It looked like a courtroom, the entire thing set in the round with a stage in the middle with a seat of honor on the far end that sat Reinrassic II above all others. The sweeping design almost gave him massive dragon wings. Though, they could also be argued to look like spider legs; black and shiny and very old.

“Let us begin,” Reinrassic II boomed, hushing the lingering whispers from the edges of the room. Each of Reiny’s siblings had found their place around the circular table while their bio families stood behind them. Ben had been directed by Reiny to stand next to his father.

Reinrassic III stood alone in the middle of the stage. To anyone else he must have looked so self assured and confident, but Ben could see the tightness in his shoulders and stomach, the way he held his head as high as possible. Ben supposed that the other Devalah children could see it too, they had known him longer after all. 

Ben looked around at the people he had come to see as friends. None of them would look at him, some weren’t even looking at Reiny. All were sitting ramrod straight as their families glared over their shoulders. 

“I am certain that most of you are aware as to why you were summoned here today,” Reinrassic III stated, slowly turning to look at everyone. “I want all of you to voice your concerns directly to me and my father. And, once you are finished, decide whether or not you wish to continue your contract with the Devalah house.”

“What?!” Suddenly the families broke out into nervous whispers and arguments. Ben-Ben found himself watching Frustra, one of the people he’d grown closest to. The people behind her, who he supposed were her biological parents, were arguing between themselves while she sat staring off straight ahead. 

“Lord Reinrassic!” One of the bio parents spoke above the crowd, “Will you not even challenge your son? Do you intend to let him do whatever, whomever he pleases without question or consequence?”

“Just who is in charge of the House of Devalah?!” Another demanded. Reinrassic II looked very tired. Ben-Ben guessed that this was far from the first time that the house head had heard these arguments. The older Highbreed let them say their pieces with absolute exhaustion written on his face. He slammed his fist against the arm of his chair, the bang of metal on bone was echoed by a wave of silence. 

“Do any of you understand the position we are in? The Supreme will be stepping down soon, passing her title on to the heir of one of the families,” he growled.

“This is exactly why-” One of the parents started only to be swiftly and brutally cut off.

“Exactly why we must stand together. If the house Devalah shows inner discourse it will damage our reputation in this most critical time. Your behavior,” He leveled a glare at the crowd, “is unacceptable. You will either stand by this family or not be a part of it at all!”

Silence. Ben “swallowed” nervously. He flexed his gills, waiting for someone to say something. Reinrassic III cleared his throat. 

“State your grievances, state your loyalties, or leave quietly. The house is not open for negotiations with those who are not true members.”

“...” There was a mild round of whispering, just long enough to be awkward. All whispering stopped when Frustra stood.

She looked at no one as she walked towards the stage. Her bio parents tried to get her to sit back down but she ignored them. She stood on the stage, fell to her knees, and held out both arms, wrists up.

“Take my blood,” she said in a very old dialect of Augstakien, “take my name, take my hardships, and the blame for my crimes. I will submit to you, your slave and sibling, and support you till the day I die.” There were gasps from the crowd, but Ben-Ben wasn’t exactly sure what just happened. He understood that she had just done something very serious, though. Clearly, it was also a thing because next thing Ben knew Medicus and Fortior had joined her. Reinrassic himself seemed shocked as more and more of his brothers and sisters knelt before him. One of the bio parents tried to grab their child as they got up to join the others but she snatched her arm away.

“Do not try to stop me!” She snapped, “Even if you take back your contract and money I refuse to serve another family!” Ben was shocked. Was that what they were doing? Denouncing their families?! He knew that they were close, but… they were still their families, even if they didn’t raise them directly. Highbreed were so obsessed with family and bloodlines the only thing they really cared about more than that as a whole was-

Ben-Ben glanced at Reinrassic II, that glint in the onld man’s eye. That’s why he’d told them about the Supreme’s interest in Reiny in private. The families didn’t know how good of a chance Reinrassic III stood at becoming the next Supreme, but their kids did. It was all a political move. They knew that Reinrassic’s father stood with him, so the choices they had were to remain in relations with a man who would likely become their next leader, or wind up on his bad side. Of course, if Reiny didn’t make Supreme, they risked standing behind a liberal, which could be a good or bad thing. Reiny was a gamble, but one worth taking.

Reiny walked up to Frustra first, motioning for her to stand. 

“Such old fashioned statements are unbecoming of you, Sister.” Once he called her sister, it was as if she started breathing again.

“It seems we’ve switched places then,” she smiled.

“Just what are you accusing me of?” Reiny scoffed. 

“Finding yourself maybe.”

“So, you swear to the house of Devalah, and whomever leads it?”

“I do.”

“Even if that is me?”

“Because it will be you.” Unless he becomes Supreme, Ben thought. Then, Reinrassic III brought his hand up and peeled back his glove. More shocked sounds from the families as his green arm met the light of day. “I already knew about that.”

“I am aware,” he looked down at the rest of the kneeling Highbreed, none moving to go. Then, he looked over them at their Bio families. “There are a great deal of benefits you will lose if you continue to hold onto your stances. Are you certain that you wish to cut ties with our family? This will be your last chance to back down.” He warned. 

Ben-Ben couldn’t fathom a similar situation going that well with humans. Although, humans never seemed as calculated, or dedicated to social positions as a whole as the Highbreed. The Reinrassics had made the families under them submit, begrudgingly. However, Ben could feel the disgust some of them had shown when they found out about his arm. He didn’t like the feeling their looks gave him even though neither Reinrassic paid them any mind.

It wasn’t until Reinrassic II showed them to their rooms after informing them they’d be staying in the family estate that night that Ben-Ben caught Reiny’s hands shaking. 

“Are you okay?” He took both hands, black and green, in his. They were cold. 

“Kirby…” Reiny looked as tired as his father had, “I feel like I’m going to retch.”

“You did great,” he smiled, pulling the taller man into a tight hug. Reiny melted into it, letting Ben-Ben halfway hold him up. 

“Heh,” He slowly counted the vertebrae down Ben-Ben’s spine as they continued to hug, “That was just the easy part.”

…………………………

When Ben-Ben woke up the next morning, Reinrassic III was already gone, leaving him with Reinrassic II and the adoptive siblings. He stared at them from across the table, an incredibly stiff air between them. They ate quietly, DNAliens serving them reading the room and making themselves as scarce as physically possible.

Reinrassic II was boring holes into Ben-Ben with his gaze.

“So,” the old Highbreed cleared his throat, “When’s the wedding?” Ben and several Brothers and sisters choked in surprise. 

“I-I don’t-” Ben-Ben started.

“Relax,” Reinrassic II laughed, “I know my son has not proposed yet, but he will. Mark my words- Fortior!” The Highbreed in question sat up straighter, “I’m calling it now, Reinrassic III is going to propose to Ben-Ben, and when it happens I am going to tell everyone I told them so!”

“Of course, Lord Devalah.”

“I mean-” 

“Personally, I think you are the reason that the Supreme is looking so hard at him.”

“Really?”

“The boy has his own merits, of course, but nothing really made him stand out from the competition until he met you. You brought about a massive change in him, helped him come out of his shell, develop a personality beyond dutious heir.” The old man sighed, “He has always been such a shy boy.” He seemed to get lost in thought after that, leaving them in another silence. Nothing much improved after breakfast. Everyone seemed to go their own ways, finding places and activities far from one another. Ben wished Squishy and Paul were there. All he had to distract him from the worry for Reiny’s meeting with the Supreme was reading. 

Reinrassic III’s father’s library held much of the same material as Reiny’s. The same law books and manuals and memoirs. At least, in the first part of the library. Reinrassic III’s library was the size of a bedroom with enough words to fill a public library. His father’s library was the size of a public library, so who knew what all he had in here. Not finding anything on the first few shelves he went deeper. Everything was sorted in here by year rather than anything else. As he went deeper into the tall, winding shelves, he started noticing titles he hadn’t read yet. But he was determined to go back as far as possible now. 

He went further and further until his eyes moved over a spine that made him stop. It was older, the shiny finish of the tablet worn worse than those around it, like it had been read many times over. He pulled it from the self, opening it to the info screen. He was shocked to see that the data stored on the pad was more than four thousand years old. The genre, a word the Highbreed mostly used as an insult- Fantasy.

Without even noticing he’d sat down amongst the books and started reading. The wording was strange because it was so old, but it was so painfully Highbreed it hurt. The first story was about a Highbreed from a highborn family falling for a Highbreed from a low born family. The low born Highbreed got in a fight with the father of the Highborn Highbreed and they ended up stranded in a ship together, and in each other's bodies. Even after getting back they still had to find a way to return to their original bodies. He was so engrossed in the story that he didn’t notice someone coming up behind him.

“They do not make anything like that anymore.” Ben jumped, nearly dropping the tablet. He looked up into the smiling chest of Reinrassic II. “My son used to love those. His Mother read him every one we had.” He shook his head. “He has not so much as gotten near them since…” A sad look came over his scarred face.

“He told me about it. What happened,” Ben said. He looked away at the shelves. “Did he wear that glove to meet the Supreme?”

“...No.” Reinrassic II had to maneuver a bit, but managed to sit down around five feet from Ben-Ben. “He has always been very compassionate actually. He was just antisocial, not wanting to go anywhere or spend time with anyone after the incident. He has told you, has not he? How stagnant the Empire is? It has caused our economy to decline, our borders to become relaxed. We need new blood, new ideas and motivation. My son can do that, but…”

“But?”

“But he will need someone to support him. Someone who has already greatly inspired him.” Ben-Ben’s fight or flight response was activated.

“We- I mean our relationship- that is,” a blue blush spread across his neck.

“Do not attempt to fool me, I can tell how close the two of you are.”

“I guess we are, but we have not spoken of… of mateship or anything of that sort.”

“Why not?”

“I do not know. Why do you care so much?”

“He is my only child, my most precious possession. I want him to be with someone who cares about him as much as I do.” He smiled wider. “And I want grandkids.” 

“Stooooop…” Ben-Ben covered his face, blush spreading. It only made Reinrassic II chuckle. 

“I have received an invitation for you.”

“You have?” Ben-Ben looked up. Reinrassic II’s expression was unreadable. 

“The Supreme wants to meet you, but she does not want you to meet with my son before you speak with her.”

“What, why?” 

“I suppose you will find out when you get there.”

The fact that he couldn’t speak to Reiny first unnerved Ben. What had they spoken about that she didn’t want him to know. If it was that important that he didn’t know something couldn’t she just order Reiny not to tell him? He hadn’t felt so alone since he was left in that waste world by Vilgax. 

Even though there were DNAliens in the small transport ship with him they were the Supreme’s. He didn’t know any of them, but they all seemed to be of the same species. They were all dainty and feminine with long tentacles coming out of their heads. They didn’t acknowledge him unless to respectfully inform him of something with calm, even tones. They didn’t respond to his attempts at casual conversation. He ended up just sitting off to the side, staring out the window at the changing land below. The homeworld was beautiful and varied, though he suspected it was further from their sun than earth was from its. 

The entire planet was colder as a whole, but still bursting with life. Most of it seemed to be plant life rather than animals. Nearly all of it, except for a few estates and walled cities, was pristine. Like the Highbreed had taken painstaking steps throughout their history to change their planet as little as possible. Once and a while he saw someone in a mostly glass ship flying low around the wilds, as if sightseeing. It made Ben think about that road trip, the one that changed his life. 

They were supposed to be sightseeing, but space based trouble seemed to follow his grandpa.

Grandpa Max… how long had it been again? The many days alone with Reiny had made the days blur together. Was he still living in the Rust Bucket? He wondered if Gwen was finally taking those karate classes she had been considering. Was she still practicing her magic every day?

His parents… Did they have another kid? Were they even still together?

Did they miss him?

How often did they think about him? A pang of guilt struck him as he believed that he didn’t think about them enough. 

The Supreme’s palace was a mountain, just a straight up mountain carved into a terrible spire that seemed physically impossible in some parts of its design. The inside was every bit as haunting as the out. Massive hunks of amber, in the walls, in the pillars, sitting in the middle of a hall with light pouring down on it like it was a magnificent sculpture. They were of all colors, clearly from different planets, and polished to look like stained glass as the light danced through them. A rainbow of lights inside the gloomy, cavernous, mountain palace. 

But what was inside them made Ben-Ben’s stomach churn. Animals, and some plants, of all shapes and sizes were trapped within the amber for all time. Each one, small as a mosquito, large as a dinosaur, caught in an eternal struggle to get out. Faces pained and fearful, if they had them that is. It was a beautiful horror show, a kaleidoscope nightmare. Ben-Ben shivered as he was led through the palace, trying to stand straight and look calm as his stomach did a river dance against the rest of his organs. 

The only time he stopped following the DNAliens through the palace was when he saw a very familiar shade of orange amber. Inside, a creature, not quite an ape, but not quite a man, screamed against the stone. His fingers curled as he tried to dig his way out. The horror and humanity in his eyes struck Ben’s soul. 

The nervous chittering from the DNAliens snapped him out of it. He walked faster after that, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. He felt like he’d been walking for an hour by the time that they reached the doors to the Supreme’s meeting chambers. There were no guards anywhere in the palace, only a few DNAliens cleaning and skittering about. Of course, why would the Supreme Highbreed need guards? How would anyone who wanted to hurt her get this far?

The doors to the chamber were big enough to fit a cruise ship through, and when they opened the sound was like thunder. The voice that called him forward was both loud yet weak. He entered, bowed, and waited to be told to look up.

Never had he imagined that a Highbreed could get so big. She was a colossus as magnificent and horrible as her palace. She sat with an invisible weight on her shoulders, the smell of rotting fruit filled the chamber. Every labored, wheezing breath from her moved her barreled stomach up and down, pushing the exposed organs of her abdomen around. The leather flaps there had seemingly rotted away. Sores, red with black rims covered her body, swollen and grey. The tall, majestic hood that grew over her head matched her flared, tattered wings. She had aged till she was beyond unsightly, but her eyes, dark rimmed with bags of exhaustion beneath them, held a spark of life. There was a wisdom and a youth in those eyes.

Ben wondered if this was what it was like to meet a god. 

“Ben-Ben Tennison…” She spoke with great effort, voice commanding yet hoarse. The other council members sitting to either side of her were large in and of themselves. They were old, but not quite as old as her. They watched him with trained eyes. “It is good to finally meet.”

“I- yes, thank you for inviting me!” His back had never been straighter. She laughed, coughing a little.

“Calm down, little one,” wheeze, “there are no such,” wheeze, “expectations for performance here,” Cough, cough, “You are not a candidate, you need not-” Wheeze cough, cough, cough, “impress.”

“Oh, uh, thank you?” The entire council chuckled at him and he felt so small. “May I ask why I’m here?” The Supreme flexed her fingers, claws almost as big as Ben, knuckles cracking like the beat of bass drums.

“I have been faced with,” wheeze, “a difficult decision.” She took a moment to breathe, “On one hand, I have a very promising-” wheeze, “young Highbreed from the Cortalis House, a member of the Pure Blooded High Order of Rarsect,” wheeze, “and exemplary,” cough, cough, “example of a noble Highbreed. A nearly spitting image of my own younger self.” She broke out into a fit of coughing to which a very large DNAlien came out of a side door to bring her a drink. She takes it, waving the DNAlien off and taking a deep sip. “On the other hand,” wheeze, “I have Reinrassic III, also a member of the High order,” wheeze, “Accomplished, hard working, dedicated and loyal,” Cough, wheeze, cough, “but why should I make him my successor? What-” cough cough cough, wheeze, cough, “will he do with that power?” There was a pause as Ben-Ben realized he was expected to answer.

“He, uh…” his mind was spinning. What was he supposed to say? What would they want to hear? As usual, his mouth moved before his brain could. “He is very kind!”

“Kind? What good-” wheeze, “is a kind ruler?”

“He cares about the Empire, the whole Empire! That might sound strange because you think of Highbreed on a whole other level from other creatures, but it is a good thing! He wants to change the Empire, put it all into motion, make use of it’s weaknesses and turn them into strengths. There’s so much good in the empire, in the Highbreed that you all squash down in order to uphold this image of separateness that you could embrace! Embrace having fun and loving life and being kind and compassionate. I mean, what do you guys think you actually gain from going out of your ways to be jerks? I keep hearing that the Empire is stagnant, but I’ve never seen anyone do anything about it! Why don’t you guys start new industries? Take up hobbies? I know there are millions of Highbreed that do this kind of stuff in secret, but enjoying animals, and gardening, and painting shouldn’t be something shameful that people have to keep in their closets! Reinrassic wants to move the Empire forward, push it into action, strengthen our borders and our involvement! Right now, Vilgax and other power hungry warlords are mowing the Plumber space down because they are complacent! YOU are complacent! If you choose a candidate that’s just like you then we will continue to be satisfied with mediocrity and we will become as negligent and cowardly as the Plumbers!” The urge to slap his hand over his mouth clashed with the fact that he had no mouth, leaving his arms to nervously twitch.

The Supreme simply nodded. He wanted to disappear, maybe even stop existing.

“I see, you may wait outside while we deliberate.”

“O-oh, okay,” his voice was so small. After standing in front of the Supreme herself, sitting outside in her grimmly decorated palace amidst the silently screaming aliens trapped in hardened sap wasn’t so bad anymore. 

As he leaned against a pillar, trying to dissipate into nothingness, a DNAlien frantically sprinted down the hall. Ben-Ben startled when she saw him.

“Ben-Ben Tennison!”

“What is it? What-”

“There’s been a terrible accident, Great one, We must tell the Supreme, the council!” She wasn early sobbing, hyperventilating like she’d pass out any second.

“What happened?!” Another DNAlien ran up behind the first, not stopping as she dashed towards the Supreme’s chambers.

“REINRASSIC’S SHIP WAS ON FIRE!! THE HEIR OF DEVALAH IS FALLING OUT OF THE SKY!!” She screamed and cried as she ran down the hall.

No… please...


	8. Chasing part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter after such a long wait. I got laid off so things have been rough. Thank you to everyone for your patience with me. I hope I can make it worth your while.

Sorry for the short chapter after such a long wait. I got laid off so things have been rough. Thank you to everyone for your patience with me. I hope I can make it worth your while.

Reinrassic would guiltily admit to not thinking on his way back. At least, not about piloting his ship. He was still mulling over what a failure his conversation with the Supreme was. 

“Do you really think someone with your ideas is worthy of becoming the Supreme? What even makes you a worthwhile Highbreed when you allow such nonsense into your head and out to the world?” The rest of the council stared down at him disapprovingly, boring into him with their eyes. He was going to collapse under the weight. It crushed the air out of his lungs. “I thought you stood a chance, but what do you stand for, if anything? You seemed a quiet man until nearly a year ago, now? You have spoken for the wrong side. Do you really intend to tear our society apart for your… pathetic compassion?”

“...” At the worst moment, he was without words, without fight, without hope. He fucked up. “I trust your judgment, Supreme, if you do not think me suited for the position, I will follow whomever you believe is worthy.” He swallowed, “But, I will not stop. I will admit, before, I may have stood for nothing. But I stand now. And, even if I step back, I will not stand down.”

“...you are dismissed-”

The blast lurched him forward, heat on his back as the ship shook. Reinrassic looked over his shoulder, he had seconds- that was his right engine! He looked forward to see himself pitching forward as the ground got closer; time slowing down. 

It was a terrible dream. It was a waking nightmare. The heat of the fire on his back was a large chest, too warm to be an ordinary Highbreed. The scream of the wind as he fell became a terrified scream for his name as he braced himself with his right arm. For less than a second, he swore there were arms of the palest and darkest greens around him, yet, all he could see was Ben-Ben’s face.

Then there was only pain.

……………..

When he first woke up, feeling somewhere between numb and in pain, with a grotesquely familiar weightlessness on his right side, he just stared at the ceiling.

It was pale pink, curved, meant to be comforting. It looked just like the ceiling that he’d woken up to all those years ago. It made him sick. He stared at it for what must have been hours. He didn’t even try moving. Moving would just confirm his fear.

When the door opened, he finally moved his neck to see Medicus walk in. He half expected the talk the doctor from his childhood gave him, only this time, I would be Ben’s name instead of his mother’s on the grave. Medicus blinked at him as if he didn’t expect Reinrassic to be awake. He pressed a button on the wall before stepping closer.

“How are you feeling?”

“Terrible, how long was I unconscious?”

“Three days.” The way he was standing, the way he clutched his pad… Reinrassic knew enough to tell Medicus was nervous.

“How bad is it?”

“A few superficial cuts, a couple that may scar. Some broken bones. The only thing major is…” he looked down on Reinrassic’s right side. “Hopefully, that alien blood of yours will allow it to regenerate again, and prevent scarring as it did in the past.”

“Mn,” The lack of feeling when he unconsciously tried to move his right arm hurt. “... what happened?”

“An overlooked part in your right engine. One of your fuel compressors was loose.”

“Impossible!” he tried to sit up but Medicus stopped him. “I am incredibly meticulous when it comes to ship maintenance. Especially so with my personal cruiser!”

“I understand,” he cringed, “that was what Ben-Ben said.”

“Yes, where is he?”

“...”

“Medicus!”

“I don’t know!”

“What?!”

“He left the same day you were hospitalized! He was furious when they said there wasn’t enough evidence to pursue a sabotage case. He left raving about proving this was no accident-”

“And you let him?”

“How were we supposed to know he would not return? I promise you, we are searching everywhere for him.”

“You should have found him by now!” Reinrassic did not let himself be stopped this time, nearly falling over when he tried to push up with his missing arm. He hissed at the pain of moving.

“Reinrassic, you can not move right now! You are injured! We are searching for Ben-Ben-” Reiny smashed the wall next to himself with his good arm. Medicus nearly dropped his pad, stepping back.

“FIND HIM!” 

……….

“It was sabotage!”

“There is no evidence of that-”

“There must be! You mean to tell me there are no cameras, no scanners, no witnesses? There is no way we would have made it to the Supreme’s palace with that kind of damage, much less left with it!”

“Ben-” Frustra started.

“Are any of you going to help me?!” Reinrassic’s siblings looked at him with uncertainty. It was already declared an accident. There was nothing to do. Ben-Ben wasn’t having it. He stormed out, done with their unwillingness to help. Reinrassic was meticulous with the care of his personal cruiser. Not to mention, such a deadly error would’ve been caught by the internal safety scanner. This could be nothing but sabotage! He would go out and prove it. 

Only...Ben stopped walking as he thought how he’d leave without a ship.

Well, he’d been plenty durable down on that desert planet. He looked out a window. If he went down to the first floor he could slide down the platform the estate was on to the forest below. He has a pretty good idea of the flora and fauna he’d face. And, if he followed the sun, he should make it to town in a few hours. Once there, the hatchery was easy to find. Curant had a sibling that had a friend who worked in the palace. Right now, they were his best hope.

Sliding down the platform had been a bit harder than he’d imagined, mostly because it was bigger than he thought it was. 

But this? This was just… incredible! He’d thought the surface looked gorgeous from above, but being down here on the snow, between the trees? It was completely different. The tall, wine colored trees were hung with ice that turned the sky into a kaleidoscope of shadow and crystal. Ben-Ben couldn’t stop looking around as he made his way through the woods. The cold had never felt so pleasant before. The snow crunching under his feet was indescribably wonderful.

He understood that they preferred to keep their natural scenery untouched, but it was so nice down here-

“RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrr….” Ben froze when he heard the growl. Crap.

He turned slowly to see the hulking form of the spider-like beast watching him from up a slope. THere was only one thing he could do.

Ben sprinted through the trees, hoping to go between a group small enough the spider monster wouldn’t be able to follow. It barely slowed down. He went flying when a massive leg slammed down behind him in an explosion of rock and snow. He tumbled forward, rolling to his feet only to barely dodge another attack. 

There was a reason Higbreed developed their white and grey markings. The snow covered planet was incredibly rocky. The plant matter was dark. Ben had read stories of Highbreed stopping and hiding in the snow. All he had to do was hide his colorful face and close his eyes. The beast chasing him’s sight was motion based. He could disappear.

And get trampled. 

Ben grabbed onto a tree, sliding under one of it’s large roots just before a sound vibrated his bones. It made his stomach do backflips, but the beast roared in pain.

“That’s right, big guy,” A low, but very impare voice yelled over the roar, “Get back in your territory before I turn up the music!”

Sure enough, the massive spider beast backed away through its path of destruction. Ben peeked out from behind the tree to see the darkest Highbreed he’d ever seen. She was tall and imposing, holding something that looked strangely like a shotgun. She was all black and dark grey, only a spattering of white on her chest, wings, and shoulders. She looked over at him questioningly.

“Uh, thank you for saving me. I’m-”

“Ben-Ben Tennison, not often you see a celebrity on the surface.” 

“Yeah…” He stepped out into the open.

“I am Tsari, local ranger.”

“I didn’t know there still were surface rangers.” She gave Ben an odd look before “smiling” 

“There is a lot you probably do not know about Agustakens. The ones you have been with are known as the Highbreed. I-” She gestured to herself, “am Lowbreed.”

“Lowbreed?” Ben had never heard of such a thing.

“Yes, we are the first people, and the last to walk the surface of this planet. If the Highbreed had their way we would surely be extinct. However, I doubt you are here for a history lesson.”

“Normally, I would be exploding with questions, but right now I am trying to solve a sabotage case and need to get to the city.”

“The city? You have friends there?” Tsari slung her strange weapon over her shoulder and started through the snow.

“I- yes. I need their help to prove-”

“I care little.” Tsari shut him down.

“Oh,” Ben stopped following her. “I apologise.” He felt terrible. This woman had her own struggles. He’d read up on animals, but to think, there was more written about animals than a whole group of Hig- no, Agustakiens. It almost made sense, why they insisted on a title instead of a species. And, if he hadn’t found any information on Lowbreeds, how much did most Highbreeds know about them? 

“Are you coming?” Ben-Ben looked up to see Tsari further away sitting on a very old looking hoover scooter, like what a DNAlien would ride. “I will take you to the city.”

“What? Why?”

“It will be problematic for my people if you were to die here. We do not have the same protections as the court families.”

“You know about them?” Ben asked, jogging over to her. Tsari rolled her eyes. 

“They are isolated from us, not the other way around. We have access to broadcasts and media. Well, my tribe does. There are some even more remote than we. Those who have no access to modern technology. Even if ours is outdated, it works. And, it is free.”

“Do you get it from junkyards or something then?” Ben looked at the bike, there was no way to sit on it without riding like a motorcycle and sitting against her. “Wait, you mentioned- gah!” Tsari grabbed Ben-Ben’s arm and pulled him onto the bike. 

“There is no such courtesy with the lowbreeds little one, you will have to hold on.”

“I-” Ben was shocked at first, but quickly regained himself. “Of course, just been a while.”

“So I have heard, human.”

“Heh, I do not mind being called that,” Ben-Ben said as he put his arms around Tsari and they took off. Judging from her size she must have been around twenty. The hover scooter hummed under him as it glided just over the ground. It bent and moved over the ground strangely. Even stranger was his arms just casually being around another person. He’d forgotten how good it felt to just be around someone. How much he missed casual touch. “Do you know what happened to Reinrassic III?”

“Sort of. Unfortunately, I can not offer more than shelter and transport.”

“You do not have to offer anything!” Ben exclaimed over the wind whipping past them. “I- can I ask you some questions?”

“You may.”

“How many of you are there?”

“Uncertain, though, in estimation, I would say less than a million, though more than half a million.”

“That’s a big guess.”

“Communication is limited.”

“Oh… Why haven't I ever heard about you?”

“They didn’t want you to know.”

“Know what?”

“... The Highbreed are ashamed of their history. They pretend to bask in it. But it is fraudulent.”

“All of it?”

“The beginning.”

“Then… what’s the truth?”

“...” Ben didn’t think he’d get his answer when Tsari didn’t speak for a few minutes. But what he did hear was shocking. “They do not teach about us in school. The only Highbreed we truly communicate with is the Supreme. It is with her we have an agreement to avoid certain areas as to not be seen. In return, in the minds of the Highbreed, we are no more.”

“Most Highbreed think the Lowbreed are actually extinct?” 

“It is for our own protection. The previous Supremes actively hunted us. It has been this way for thousands of years. Ever since the divide. Long before history was digitally recorded, tensions arose between us, and the pale, beautiful ones. In the beginning, a pale child was simply good fortune. Then, they became a goal of breeding. Pale children hid easier among the snow, grew larger, had thicker skin, bigger wings, there were plenty of reasons to want them.”

“And so darker children were less desirable.”

“Indeed. Over time, we became excluded from society. In a few hundred thousand years we were second class citizens, then slaves, then outcasts. There is a great deal I could tell you about the history from before the history you know. There is not enough time for that now. I will say that, five Supreme’s ago, they went from avoiding us at all costs, to believing us too many in number. Our deaths were hailed as necessary. But, culling turned to attempted extinction. Only the deal we have with the current Supreme protects us.”

“Then, whoever the next Supreme is could be pretty bad for you.”

“It is only natural selection.”

“It doesn’t upset you?”

“It does, but there is little I can do. There has been war, terrorism, terrible things from both sides. And we came out on bottom. My only intentions as of current are to enjoy living while I am alive.”

“You are rather cold, Tsari.”

“I apologize, our bodies tend to absorb heat better than-”

“No, it’s an expression. You have closed your heart- metaphorically.”

“I am cold because I choose to live in the moment rather than be sorry for myself, or mad all the time?”

“Yeah, and I can tell you are lying about not doing anything about it. I mean, you’re helping me- I mean you are helping me.”

“Ah,” she sighed in her monotone voice, “I have been found out.” It was hard to see through the trees, but Ben-Ben could see the nearing shadow of the city, once they came under it, the temperature dropped. “I will admit, I have been hoping the Devalah candidate would win over the Cortalis candidate. Nemilos is not known for his compassion. His ancestor was the one to start the hunting.” Tsari slowed down. “Are you expected?”

“I sent a message and we agreed to meet at an emergency road to the east. Though, I do not think he will be expecting me so soon.”

“Do you know how to get in?”

“Yes, he explained it to me.”

“Well then, this is as close as I dare.” Tsari came to a stop. Ben felt hollow when he let her go. 

“Will I see you again?” Tsari blinked, like she hadn’t expected him to want to. 

“Well, if you attract another araneolus it will not be hard to find you.”

……………….

“Ben-Ben!”

“Curant!” Ben had been standing around at the meeting place for a while now, not sure if he should try to find Curant elsewhere. Right before Ben-Ben wandered off, the taller Highbreed arrived with a metal case under his arm. 

“You made it! Truly, my friend, you amaze me,” Curant sighed with relief, his grey wings fluttered slightly. “I did some digging before coming, but we’ll need to move fast.”

“Fast?” 

“My cousin’s friend, my contact into the palace, she found something- well- the absence of it.” He pulled out the case and set it onto a pipe in the cramped back alley. Ben watched a feed of the ship landing pad. He watched the minutes tick by as Reinrassic arrived, then time skipped, then he left. Over all, there was roughly half an hour missing.

“This is perfect! Why else would there be such a specific error but sabotage?! We have him!”

“Well…” Curant coughed nervously. “I don’t think this will be enough.”

“What? How much more do we need?”

“We need to prove at least something was done. As specific of an error that this is, it’s all we have. Unless we can prove a hack, it could just be an incredible coincidence.”

“Seriously? Fine! Where do we start?”

“I...I am not entirely certain. I have never investigated anything beyond failure to understand instructions by DNAliens,” Curant confessed. Ben-Ben put his hands on his hips and nodded. 

“That makes sense I guess, but I used to be a defender of Earth! My grandpa, Gwen, and I investigated all kinds of crazy things and fought aliens and weirdos alike! So, when I need to know what to do, I ask myself- what would grandpa Max do?” 

Curant stared in confusion.

“So… um… what would your grandfather do?” He asked, cocking his head to the side. 

“Hmm,” Ben-Ben put his hand under his “chin” like he was thinking, “He would probably say we should start with the ship. Any idea where we might find it?”

“The ship? Well it would be in his family’s hands as long as they have not sent it to the scrap yard.”

“Would not the authorities hold it for an investigation?”

“It was ruled an accident,” Currant said matter of factly, “So no.”

“So, one of the candidates for Supreme is seriously injured- he is in a coma- and no one is suspicious at all?!” Ben threw his hands up in indignation.

“I am incredibly suspicious.” Currant said, packing up his pad in its case. “I think most everyone is. All my friends are demanding I get in contact with you to find out what is happening, but I have kept this a secret.”

“Oh,” Ben deflated, “Sorry, I am just…”

“I understand,” Currant got closer, putting his hand up like he wanted to comfort Ben, “I am here to help, my friend.”

“Thank you… I guess I will have to contact someone now to find the ship.”

“Does anyone know you are here?”

“...” Ben straightened up indignantly, “I- I am not a child that needs supervision!”

“... What is a child?”

“Nevermind, I’ll call Frustra.”

……………….

Reinrassic had gone over everything nine times over now, watching Ben-Ben leave, disappear into the forest, and never return. He had contacted Curant, Ben-Ben’s best friend outside the family, but had received no reply. He’d taken off his wrappings on his right arm, watching as the bone and flesh grew back agonisingly slowly. He refused further pain killers, and could almost feel his bones knit back together. 

It was like everything was turned up to eleven as he kept track of seven different screens at once. When Frustra came in he didn’t even need to look at her to know.

“What lie have you told me?”

“...” Frustra looked down, ashamed, “Ben-Ben was here the same day he left.”

“I know-” 

“He came back. Check the hangar where your cruiser is stored. I helped sneak him in and out.” Reinrassic opened another screen, bringing up the footage and speeding it up. They investigated the wreck, Ben-Ben and Curant, seemed to find something, then left. He whipped around, hissing and clicking with rage as he cursed in his mother tongue.

“Where is he! What did they find?!”

“I do not know where he is right now, but they found the remnants of your engine had parts you didn’t put in. The parts that failed were older, and not the exact model on record. I gave them your receipts for them and the records for modifications on your cruiser.”

“Where did they go from here?”

“They went to meet up with a friend of there’s from house Cortalis.”

…………..

“I can not believe your aunt is in hose Cortalis.”

“We do not speak often, but she is a very active member of the XAC. I believe she is trustworthy. She also reached out to me to offer aid, knowing you from the forum are a close friend of mine.”

“So you are finally using the acronym for the Xenomorph Appreciation Club?” Ben-Ben grinned.

“I admit to nothing,” Curant crossed his arms indignantly. 

“You heard him, right Paul?” Ben asked his friend, who was driving the cruiser Frustra had lent them. It was cramped, being meant for transporting DNAliens, but it was super low profile and easy to look over. 

“I can not believe you named it.”

“He’s my friend, Curant! Just like you.” Curant guffawed at that, offended his friend would put him on the same level as a DNAlien. 

“I work with DNAliens on the daily, they are imbeciles.”

“Still a lot smarter than Xenocites.” Curant shut up after that. They pulled into a hidden, old garden that had fallen into disrepair. Weeds had taken over the ancient statues, but most were dead as a more modern wall blocked nearly all the light. Curant insisted on getting out first. When they stepped out, ben thought they were alone. From out of the dry, crackling shrubbery stepped a taller impare Highbreed. One eye on her left side was a deep lapis blue. 

"It has been some time, Curant."

"Dureae," Curant greeted her respectfully, "thank you again for agreeing to help us."

"I am glad to. It is about time someone shows the young heir his actions have consequences."

"So he did do it?"

"I do not know. But i have these," she handed over a thumb drive. "These are records of purchase from a rather shady merchant in the lower city. There is also evidence our heir was in communication with someone from the palace, but the conversation is encrypted, and I am unable to decode it. Just as well, my documents show purchase, but not what was purchased."

"So, we'll have to speak with this… Jeb? The one who runs the shop?"

"Indeed," Dureae nodded with a grin. "Just tell him Nemilos and I are no longer on good terms. Tell him I sent you.”

………………….

“So….” Ben-Ben looked around at the apartment Curant had brought them to. There were tanks all over once they got past the main room full of Xenocites. It was very neat, everything out of the way and easy to find. Yet, it looked so much more lived in than anything at either the estate or Reiny’s home. “I thought most Highbreed lived with family.”

“They do, but I prefer my privacy. I like to do what I want when I want to.” Curant stated, pouring some food into his tanks. 

“I kind of like that. I think that’s why Reiny- I- I mean Reinrassic- I-”

“Reiny?” Curant looked at him strangely.

“I- it’s- it is a nick-name. It is a human term of endearment by shortening someone’s name.”

“Hm, that would be… most disrespectful by most Highbreed standards. He lets you call him that?”

“...Only in private.” Ben-Ben blushed and Curant laughed. 

“You are so strange! Ah, but who am I to laugh? It is late, we will go meet that ‘Jeb’ character in the morning.” Curant shooed him off to a guest room. Ben-Ben motioned for Paul to follow him. The room reminded him of his bedroom back on Earth. It was set up the same and had a similar size. Ben-Ben took in a deep breath and sighed.

“You can take the bed, I will sleep on the floor,” Ben said.

“What?! No! I could never!”

“I think we both know where this is going,” Ben said, putting his hands on his hips. Paul looked down in defeat.

“You are just going to order me to take the bed, yes?”

“And you said you were ‘of inferior intelligence,’” Ben-Ben grinned. He did take the blanket and a pillow, leaving Paul with a sheet and the other pillow. Ben-Ben rested on his back, staring up at the ceiling. “Are you still awake?”

“Yes, Ben-Ben?”

“You think Squishy is okay without me?” 

“I think he will be fine with the other DNAliens. They are quite fond of it.”

“Do Xenocytes have a gender?”

“Some? Some take on the gender of their host, others suppress it. Is this not something that you should ask Curant?” 

“...”

“...”

“... I miss Reiny.”


	9. Chasing part 2

Great to be in 2021, and happy to see you all. If you're liking seeing Ben's alien life let me know. Or, if you want me to hurry up and get on with the Earth plot let me know that too. I don't have much planned after choosing the Supreme so I'll probably start on Earth after that. Thank you all again for your patience!

Ben-Ben was shocked by the lower quarter of the city. He'd thought that the path Curant had taken him through yesterday had been unusually desolate. But now, he was starting to think the entire lower quarter was like that. Curant had said no one really lived here, it was mostly a place of business. Even so, shouldn't there be more people here doing business? Other than a few DNAliens here and there they had only seen one other Highbreed who had passed them as quickly as possible without a single glance. She had been carrying a small package close to her chest.

The place was mostly clean by human standards. Compared to Highbreed standards this was a cesspool of filth with a layer of dust or grime on most things no matter how thin.

"It's so dark here…" Ben-Ben stated as they passed under the artificial lighting. There was nearly no natural light at all. The forest floor also lacked much natural light, but was still far brighter due to all of the snow maximising what light was there. Here, most everything was black, making it all look even darker. However, it was nearly impossible to sneak around due to everyone being either white or mustard colored.

"We are beneath six layers of city. It is surprising that there is even any light at all."

"Hmm." Ben hummed in agreement as they came to a stop in front of an inconspicuous door. The only thing that designated it as their destination was the address number on it. Ben-Ben double checked their info.

"So this is it?"

"Seems like it. Do we knock or-" Curant stepped forward and the door automatically opened. Ben-Ben followed him through into a sterile space. The room was empty, lit from a glowing floor and lights trimming the dark ceiling. Sitting opposite them was a singular Highbreed. He was large, with startling yellow shells on his shoulders and wrists. He was bulkier too and Ben instantly recognised him as half Arburian Pelarota.

He was sitting behind a desk, working on two holo screens. He glanced up, but didn't stop what he was doing.

"Are you Jeb?" Curant asked.

"Who is inquiring?" The older highbreed responded. His voice was gruff and rocky.

"I am Curant, my aunt, Dureae, sent us to you. She is not currently on good terms with Neimos and was hoping you could help us with something."

"Something regarding Neimos?" Jeb finally stopped and looked up at Ben.

"I am Ben-Ben Tennison. Can you give us the records of what Neimos purchased from your shop?"

"Tennison… Yes, I have heard of you." Jeb closed his screens. "The human turned pureblood. I do not suppose such a thing could be replicated."

"I… do not really know how it happened myself." Ben-Ben confessed.

"Pity," Jeb said. He sat in silence for a brief moment before opening a single holo-screen over his desk. "Did Dureae say anything else?"

"Ah," Curant crossed his arms nervously, "No, not really. At least, nothing regarding you."

"Hm… pity." He almost whispered before seemingly finishing up. He rotated the screen so Ben and Curant could see. "This is Nemilos's history at my shop."

"This is it?" Ben-Ben exclaimed in shock as he stepped forward to see better. "But, there's only one thing on it! He should've had at least several ship parts!"

"You are certain this is the only thing he has ever purchased. The receipt Dureae gave us was quite expensive."

"Well it is an expensive item. It's called a Ken-XI. Made of Petropius-II, also known as the heart crystal of a Crystalsapien. A very rare item indeed. They have many uses; untappable communication over incredible distance. Ability to track other users. When used with computers they can produce encrypted code that thus far can only be read using other Kens."

"Encrypted code? Like this?" Curant pulled out a small pad and opened the file with the encrypted messages his aunt gave him. He stepped closer to show them to Jeb.

"Yes, that does look quite similar. The code is very unique."

"Then it is possible that someone else purchased the parts for him. We must know what was written here!" Curant looked hopefully at Jeb. "Is there any way we can borrow one of these devices?"

"Apologies, I do not have anymore. They are not only expensive, but rare. I am lucky to find even one a year." Curant visibly deflated. Stepping back.

"Is there anyway that we could check your files for someone who purchased the items we thought he did?"

"Even if I did, there could have been multiple buyers who helped him, or they could have bought the parts for different reasons. Besides, I would rather not out my clients, It is hard enough to get business here in the capital. There's a good portion of my customers who would rather no one know they buy from a half breed bastard."

"Of course, my apologies," Curant sighed. He looked at Ben-Ben defeated. They had hit a wall. Just when they were doing well.

"Is there anyone else you know of who might sell Ken-XIs?" Ben-Ben piped up. Jeb shook his head.

"No. A pity really. No one has asked for anything but the recent models. Of course, they are so much better built. Unlike the old Ken-V I have. All it can do is encrypt, unencrypt, and track other Ken users. I never sold it because the tracking feature is broken though. Why I might just finally throw it away." Jeb grinned, winking at them as a DNAlien appeared out of a door behind him Ben and Curant hadn't noticed in the dim lighting. "Blink," he addressed The DNAlien, "Dispose of that for me."

"Yes Master," she hurriedly brought an indescrypt box to Ben-Ben. He took it graciously and Blink scurried off. Ben-Ben peeked inside to see a device made of dark metal and reddish crystal.

"You- you are letting us have it?"

"Have what? Hm? Who are you? I have not had any visitors today." Jeb said as he re-opened the two screens he'd had up when they arrived. Ben-Ben was about to say something when Curant motioned for him to leave.

"Uh, thank you!" Ben-Ben said as he was ushered out the door. Jeb didn't look up, but Ben-Ben could see his eyes crease into a smile.

….............

They went back to Curant's office, wanting privacy. Curant started working on some things for the hatchery while Ben-Ben started to figure out the Ken-V. He was a little uncomfortable using it due to what it was made out of. There were also no instructions for it or any information about it anywhere online.

It took three hours of trying and fiddling with the device before Ben-Ben got it. He watched as the code on the screen he was using slowly re-wrote itself out into a series of correspondences.

The conversation unfolded before him. Whoever Nemilos was working with had reached out to him first offering to help him become Supreme. However, Nemilos was the one to push for murder. Ben's blood boiled over all the things Nemilos said about Reiny. He called him every version of weak, cowardly, even Lowbreed. Ben didn't want to think what a man who used Lowbreed as a slur for someone not totally Augstakien would do if he knew there were still real Lowbreeds out there.

He'd never met this guy before, but there were implications that he'd done things to knock other candidates out of his way before. He hadn't gone as far as murder, but he'd never managed to get Reiny out of the way and he was running out of time. He planned everything, paid for the other person to buy the parts, had them pressure some of the palace DNAliens into doing the swap.

"I don't understand…" Curant said, reading over Ben-Ben's shoulder.

"What? It's all here. We can take this to the Supreme and get justice for Reiny!"

"But, pressuring one of the palace DNAliens? They would have to be a person of tremendous power to do such a thing."

"Do you think it was the Cortalis member of the council? They mostly live in the palace and that is the only person who really has any reason to help him."

"You do not know that. There is much that goes on behind palace walls we are not privy to. However, to accuse a council member is no small thing." Ben sighed, not liking where this was going.

"Do not tell me, we need to find out who this other person is."

"I am afraid so. We can not leave such a hole in our case. He could still claim this person convinced him to do this against his will."

"What? But they clearly did not!"

"You have never seen how convincing some Highbreed can be in court. Besides, you are the disadvantaged party here. You are an outsider overturning a previous ruling by authority and accusing some of the highest ranking members of society of attempted murder. Not to mention, if you win, your case may end up deciding who takes the throne." Ben-Ben turned off the screen.

"I didn't want to go this far, I just want to give Reinrassic justice, not…"

"There can not be justice until this other person is brought to light." Curant put his hand on the back of Ben-Ben's chair as the younger Highbreed stood.

"You are right," He turned around, "Where do we start? There were not any clues to their identity in those messages. It was clear even Nemilos did not know who they were."

"True, however, we know that there were DNAliens involved. DNAliens are a partial hivemind. They were once all directly linked, but that caused… well, several problems. Since then their hive mind was dampened through breeding practices. However, some still possess stronger mind abilities than others," As he spoke he walked over to one of his tanks and took out a very calm Xenocite. It looked around with an eye that seemed to understand what was going on around it. "If we get Atolla close enough she'll be able to essentially read other DNAliens minds. We find the DNAliens involved and work our way through the palace until we have proof of the culprit."

"Okay," Ben-Ben nodded along, "But how? We can not just walk into the palace. And even then, the palace DNAliens are very specific."

"Yes, they are all Uxorites, however! All we have to do is get Atolla in." He went over and pulled a small metal ring out of a box. It was just big enough to fit around her exposed brain. "This will allow us to see everything she sees and direct her through the palace." It fit perfectly, with a notch above her eye so it did not cover any part of it. The little camera made it look like a tiara.

"Curant?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you have this?" Ben-Ben looked up with as close to a brow raised expression as his Highbreed body could do. Curant squealed, stuttering something about wanting to make a video series for the XAC from his Xenocites' perspective. "Alright, alright," Ben laughed, "So, how do we get her in?"

….............

Curant's cousin's friend wasn't happy about helping them, but did mention that the Supreme had a habit of leaving windows around the palace open to let in fresh air. She also told them when the kitchen shipments arrived. Their DNAlien transport fit in perfectly among the others. There were so many that no one noticed their ship didn't actually deliver anything. They parked outside the city limits but still as close to the palace as possible. Curant brought up Atolla's feed.

Getting her inside was the hardest part as she scrambled around crates and boxes in an attempt to go unnoticed. The little thing held still as DNAliens walked past. They moved the heavy crates with hover carts, riding contraptions that were stood on and driven a lot like roadhogs. They used magnets to pick up the metal boxes and fly them inside.

Curant had Atolla suction onto the bottom of a metal crate as it was lifted. Ben held his breath as she narrowly slipped out from under it as the crate was set down. Atolla huddled between the products until they were stacked so high that no one could see her. They only waited a few moments with how fast the DNAliens were moving. Curant was nervous about the security cameras. They weren't really an issue until they got to the exit of the store room.

Boxes on boxes stacked stories high on metal shelves in the dim lighting served for excellent cover. The room was freezing, a heavy layer of frost over everything on the ground level echoing up to the distant, icicle covered ceiling. The cover was perfect.

They could see through the camera, however, that past the exit was bright and open.

"Craw!" Ben-Ben cursed in the chittery, squawking Augstakien language.

"Remain calm," Curant said.

"I was in the palace," Ben hissed, "There are cameras everywhere! I thought they would at least take us farther in with the shipments."

"Our insider said that they will not distribute tile tomorrow once everything is checked over. However, you forget what makes my little girl so special," Curant purred. He waited until a stray DNAlien, one of the official palace ones, walked past. All of the sudden it stopped, shivered, and walked over to the storage room entrance. Atolla slid forward and latched onto the DNAlien's leg. She merged with the preexisting DNAlien, doing her best to blend in and keeping her eye closed as her slimy body branched up its new temporary host. Ben caught their reflection as they started walking again. Unless you bent down and looked up under the DNAlien's head tentacles you wouldn't notice that Atolla was there.

"I didn't know we could do that," Paul mumbled. Curant chuckled at that.

"Atolla is an old breed. And, like most in my collection, illegal for a reason. I do not suppose we got someone with any information, Dear?"

"No father," Atola made the DNAlien whisper back, "This one is low ranking. She is currently heading to assist in the library." Ben-Ben didn't comment on how Curant and Atolla addressed each other. But it would be remembered.

"Where can we find a higher ranking DNAlien?"

"We should be meeting one once we arrive." Ben watched as they walked through a very visually different part of the palace than what he'd seen. There were little to no amber creatures here. Rather, every wall was filled with very old looking murals. They were beautifully painted with billions of tiny crystals. He recognised several famous Highbreed on the walls reenacting their incredible feats.

"I've never seen art like this before," Ben said.

"These walls are part of the original palace. I saw pictures of some of these images in my college history course."

"Wow, how old are they?"

"This palace was originally built as a small homestead. Many historians believe it is the origin point of Highbreed civilization; where we went from hunter gatherer to building permanent structures."

"So…" Ben felt his chest tighten as Tsari flashed through his mind. "This palace, some parts could… predate recorded history?"

"Some do, yes, but they are well protected to prevent damage. Some say deep in the catacombs beneath the lowest part of the library there are the ruins of the first people. Though that is only a rumor, much like how they say the first city still lies under the capital."

"Why does no one go and see?"

"They have, and found nothing."

"Then why are there still rumors?" Curant didn't look at Ben-Ben when Ben-Ben looked at him.

"Surely there are conspiracies on Earth."

"... Yes, there are." Ben turned back to look at the murals again, noting how as they got deeper in the figures became older and the murals more stylized.

"Do they never clean these walls? The figures look so much duller this far in," Curant remarked. Ben-Ben "bit his tongue" and tightened his chest flaps. Looking closely, they weren't getting duller, they were using a darker crystal. It seemed some of the murals were so old that they had yet to breed snow white skin. He hated the feeling that his friend might take learning about Tsari's people badly. Which brought back a dark thought that had been living in Ben-Ben's mind for a long time now.

Were his friends bad people? He knew they were specists, and probably racists too. But, Reiny changed. Deep down, it seemed like most Highbreed acted out of pain or fear. He knew Curant acted cold and unfeeling to people outside of XAC, even his own family. He'd overheard a call Curant had gotten from his parents once. It was hard to hear them talk to him. It was obvious why Curant preferred being on his own. He was sympathetic to "lower lifeforms." Even still, he struggled to see others as equal. The programming ran deep. Even Reiny wasn't fully understanding yet. Ben still struggled sometimes between wanting to fit in and wanting to hold onto his ideals. He knew what it felt like. He should be better. Everyday it seemed he reminded himself. Sometimes he still didn't do as good as he thought he should.

It was one of the reasons he was so patient with others' cruelty.

"Huh…"

"What?" Ben snapped back to reality.

"There's a gap."

"A gap?"

"In the wall," Paul pointed to where a part of the wall had clearly been cut out and replaced with sterile metal that stood out like a sore thumb. First there was just one, then two. As they got closer and closer to the library more parts of the murals were missing than there.

"I do not understand," Curant said in shock, "This is our ancient history. Why is so much missing? What happened?"

"Perhaps it was damaged, your grace?" Paul offered.

"In the heart of the palace?" Curant sounded worried. We got to the doors of the library, heavy wooden panels held open to show what could've been its own city. Every surface was covered in data pads of writing and information spiraling up to the domed ceiling like sky scrappers to the clouds. The data pads glowed blue green as they charged. They were the only light source in the room.

Palace DNAliens were everywhere. The one Atolla was attached to continued on her tasks, going to pick up pads from the returned section. These were much bigger than the ones Reiny had. They were clearly sixed for older Highbreeds.

"Now what?"

"We find someone higher ranked, latch on, and work our way up till we find someone who knows something." Curant said.

"Right, there's tons of cover in here," Ben nodded, "this will be a breeze!"

Several hours later it was getting dark. Despite how many DNAliens there were, the size of the library made getting around next to impossible. Only Atolla's strong sticky tentacles protected her from falling hundreds of feet down. Ben felt bad about putting her in so much danger.

Twenty seven DNAliens in, they got their disappointing answer.

None of the DNAliens who had been there that day were here now. All of this, for nothing. Paul deflated, Curant cursed and nearly threw the pad with Atolla's feed on it. Ben just sat there, in the cramped little ship. A dead end. Again.

"You can get her out, right?" Ben asked Curant.

"Yes, I can." He finally looked over at Ben. "Are you-?"

"I'm going to get a bit of fresh air." Ben cut him off as he opened the hatch and stepped outside. The snow crunched under his feet as the refreshingly cold air whipped by. He was hungry, thirsty, and defeated. They were still just outside the city limits, hidden in the shadow of the woods. The sun was only a sliver of light on the horizon. The longer he stayed here, the more he thought it looked like Earth; familiar.

What now? Should he return to the Devalah house with what he found and hope for forgiveness and help? Did he take what they had to the Supreme and hope it was enough for an investigation? Who in the palace would want to get rid of Reiny?

Ben-Ben watched the sun disappear.

What was Gwen doing right now? Did his family hold a funeral for him, or was he just declared missing all this time? Ben wondered what kind of funeral it would've been. His parents were pretty basic. They probably would've held a small service at a funeral home. They were never very religious, especially his father, so it wouldn't have been in a church. Had Uncle Max said anything? Did great aunt Vera and great uncle Gordon come? Gordon's son Joel? He was certain Gwen and her parents and Ken came. Maybe uncle Manny would come. No one had really seen him since his wife died giving birth to Clyde. Man, Clyde had been a toddler last time he saw him. With his mop of blond hair and pinkish skin the only thing that made him resemble his big hairy father were his little black eyes and long arms.

… Ben's… still not positive his uncle Manny wasn't at least half sasquatch. Out of the corner of his eye Ben caught movement. He whipped around to see a dark, familiar figure staring out of the trees. Her white speckled chest looked like extra eyes in the dim. She motioned for him to come to her. Ben didn't really think as he started to step towards her.

"Ben-Ben?" Ben spun to see Curant poking his head out of the hatch. "We're going to get Atolla. She just slid down and is waiting near the garbage disposal units so it should be an easy retrieval."

"Oh, man, there's really a lot less security in the palace than I thought there would be…"

"We've been at peace for thousands of years, why waste resources?"

"Yeah, I guess, I-" Ben-Ben did his best not to glance back at Tsari, "Listen, is there any chance you can come back for me once you got her? I just need a moment alone." Ben thought he might start sweating when Curant paused, despite not being able to as a Augstakien. He almost let out a sigh of relief when Curant's expression softened.

"Take you time. I… Ben, I am sure Reinrassic will be fine."

"... Thanks." Curant nodded before taking off with Paul. Ben waited until they were out of sight before jogging towards Tsari. "How did you know I was here?"

"... I have been sticking close to the city limits."

"Looking for me?"

"Perhaps," she confessed, "I did not want you to get eaten."

"Sure," Ben-Ben smiled. Tsari rolled her eyes, shifting her weapon to rest on her shoulder.

"Who was your friend?"

"Hm? Oh, that was Curant. He's a Xenocite breeder for one of the hatcheries in the city."

"I see." She looked off in the direction the ship left. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Ben-Ben felt his "smile" fade.

"No, we- we hit a dead end." He put his hands on his hips in disappointment. "We have some evidence that our suspect did it, but there's still someone else involved that we have not been able to find yet."

"So, what will you do now?" Tsari asked. Ben-Ben shrugged, looking at the ground glittering up at him in the rising moonlight. "Will you return to your estate?"

"Well it's not mine, but I guess we'll go back to Curant's place tonight. I have been missing for two days now so I can not say how happy the Devalahs will be to see me." Tsari shifted her weight nervously, clicking apprehensively.

"You could… I do not mean anything inappropriate or rude or presumptuous, but…" Ben-Ben looked up at her, "You could come spend the night at my home. My family was begging to meet you after I told them about you yesterday. It is safe- and of course you can refuse!"

"Tsari I-" Ben really didn't know what he was about to say. Luckily, he didn't have to. His empty stomach cut him off with a ravenous growl. Tsari froze, then chuckled as a dark flush came over Ben-Ben's neck. He really hadn't eaten anything since last night at Currant's place.

"We have food."

"I- Curant is coming back for me-"

"He can come too!" Tsari said a little too quickly, choking once she realised how excited she sounded and blushing a little herself. It was harder to see under her dark skin, but her white freckles revealed the truth.

"I will ask him. So, where is your home?"

"It is a small village that way." She pointed off into the woods. "There are only a few hundred of us there. I can not guarantee they will all be friendly to you, but they are not all friendly to me either," She shrugged.

"They aren- are not?"

"No," She explained, not acknowledging Ben-Ben's slip up and gestured to her white marks.

"Because you have a little bit of white?"

"My markings are unusual, but just as not all Highbreed are stark white, not all Lowbreed are pitch black. I am also tall for my age. Tall for a Lowbreed my age. My great grandmother mated with a Highbreed. My family lives only on the edge of the village in our ancestral home now. We are not shunned, but it is hard sometimes."

"I am sorry to hear that," Ben-Ben said earnestly. Tsai shook her head.

"My only regret is that my great grandmother's mind slipped without telling anyone who my grandfather's sire was. I do not know what I would have done with the information, but it is something I have always wanted to know. Grandfather said that his parents were in love. Truly, since Augstakiens mate for life, they must've been. But, then why leave? Did my other great grandparent fear losing face more than they loved my great grandmother? I apologise. You need not listen to me think out loud."

"No, it is fine. We are friends after all." Tsari blinked at him. She looked him up and down like she was seeing him for the first time.

"Perhaps, speaking to a Highbreed, even an unusual one such as yourself, has brought these thoughts back to the surface."

"Apologies."

"I did not say it was a bad thing." She pulled out a communicator and started typing something.

"Who are you texting?"

"My uncles and their sons. I will have them bring out the tow for your ship."

"Oh, thank you. You really do not mind Curant and Paul?"

"Paul?"

"He's a DNAlien."

"I have never met one before. We will not mind."

"Do you not keep Xenocytes?" Ben-Ben asked.

"No, though we sometimes must deal with the nests of their wild cousins." Ben had heard about those. They were the wolves to Xenocytes, like Squishy's, dog. They still had their hive mind abilities and aggressive nature. They often parasite each other, forming massive RNAnimals. Ben really didn't want to see any of those.

…............

It wasn't like Reinrassic could just waltz into the Cortalis residence and demand information. Instead, he was doing the rational thing- reporting Ben-Ben as missing, updating where he was heading last, and convincing his father to let him go to the council and petition for answers.

"Son, we can not say for certain that he went there-"

"No one knows where he is!" Reinrassic snapped. Some of his brothers and sisters were in the room, watching from a safe distance. His arm was still regenerating, almost down to the elbow now. "None of you could find him in three days! Do you know what can happen in that amount of time?!"

"Reinrassic III!" Reinrassic II barked, "You are in a precarious situation! The date the Supreme announces her successor has been announced for tomorrow! Your crash has given Nemilos an in to make you look like a reckless fool! But you still have popularity among the people. Accusing, even implying something towards your rival right now will make it look like you are attacking him! You will doom any hope of winning! Just wait until after-"

WHAM! Reinrassic III slammed his good arm so hard into the pillar so hard it spider web cracked a good few feet up and down.

"I do not care!" he roared, "Ben-Ben means more to me than being the Supreme ever will!" The room was silent for so long Frustra nearly stepped in to help her brother when Reinrassic II let out a great, defeated sigh.

"Very well. We will meet with the council. As long as you are certain. I trust you with this house. I just want you to be positive that this is the decision you want to make." Reinrassic III calmed down, even looking a little ashamed.

"It is. This family will be fine, with or without the throne."

"Heh, I am aware," his father nodded, "We were fine when my brothers and sisters left after I married your mother and lost my ability to reproduce in the accident." He touched where the massive scar across his body ran over his chest, "And we will be fine after this. You," He turned and gestured to Reinrassic III's sisters and brothers, "are all proof that our people are ready for change. Even if things become difficult we will persevere. So, let us be off."

…......

"How are you doing, Curant?" Ben asked. The three of them, Ben, Curant, and Paul were sitting on top of the DNAlien transport ship which was sitting on top of a massive tank like rover that Tsari's family had brought along with several more hover speeders. Curant was impossibly tense, holding onto the ship and glaring into the air in front of him. He had shut down when Ben-Ben introduced him to Tsari. When her family showed up the guy had gone stiff as a bored, just doing whatever Ben-Ben directed him to do. Ben figured that Curant was having some sort of existential crisis that wasn't improved by Ben giving him a brief runthrough of who these people were.

Paul, on the other hand, was in awe of these new, exciting people. He was nervous, sure, but he seemed to enjoy riding through the snow and breeze. He even laughed at some of the things Tsari's family yelled over the wind.

"I think Greywings is scared of us!" One of Tsari's cousin's laughed.

"We should call him Stonespine instead! He's been ramrod stiff this whole time!"

"Maybe he's mute!" They laughed and Tsari shook her head in disappointment. Ben-Ben was a little surprised to see that most of Tsari's cousins were younger than her, but she did say that they weren't her bio-family. In the village, everyone was called by familial titles. The men had been called to help them because the infirms were busy being rangers. Impares were larger, so they stayed behind to raise the grubs. Grubs! Children! Tsari laughed when Ben-Ben's face lit up. He was finally going to see some baby Augstakiens!

"Hey, hey!" One of the cousins tried to get their attention.

"Alright, that is enough," An uncle shut them down. The youngster sighed, pulling away on his ride so he was back in the flanking formation they had made around the tow. Now that it was after dark they had to make noise and look big if they wanted to ward off the dangerous hunters. And no, Tsari said, the araneolus that attacked him the other day was not considered highly dangerous.

"We are coming up on the village!" Tsari yelled over, braking rank to pull closer so they could hear her better.

"I can't see anything!" Ben yelled back. All there was was the same powdery snow they had been driving over for miles.

"That's the idea!" She answered. The cousins and uncles broke out onto chirps and caws of laughter as everyone started speeding up.

"Ben-Ben…" Curant spoke nervously. They were all driving straight towards an even larger clearing on which Ben could see a reflection of the moon.

It was a medium sized lake, completely frozen over.

"Scared, Highbreed?" A cousin said, making more of them laugh.

"Relax," Ben-Ben tried his best to sound calm as they came up on it. "It's probably just a-" The first hover speeders burst through the ice, shattering it open to reveal a massive- "SECRET TUNNEL!" The whole rig shook as it rumbled down into the passage, plunging them all into darkness. The hoots and laughter echoed as engine sounds surrounded them. Ben couldn't even see his own legs when he glanced down. He held on for dear life while it felt as through the Lowbreeds were all around them.

Several times the tunnel became so steep it felt like they were falling until Ben-Ben's eyes adjusted enough for him to barely make out shapes. That only left him blinded when they rounded a corner into a brightly lit cavern and skidded to a stop. Ben-Ben, Curant, and Paul blinked in the light as Tsari's family parked their rides. Ben-Ben was about to jump down himself when a large hand was held out in front of him. Ben-Ben looked over to see one of the uncles offering to help him down. He was about to politely refuse when he had a memory of his dad helping him out of the car when he was little. He took the hand and jumped down, being lowered gently to the ground.

"Thanks," Ben-Ben said up to him. Hen nodded and smiled.

"You are welcome, my name is Pax, but you will be hearing a lot of names soon, and most everyone you age refers to me as uncle save for my direct family. So, just call me that."

"Sure… uncle." It felt weird to say to a stranger. His discomfort must've been clear because Pax and a few others laughed, one of the cousins even patted Ben hard on the back.

"I can not believe we are actually meeting THE Ben-Ben Tennyson!" He exclaimed, "Oh," The cousin moved to face Ben-Ben, he was a little younger than him and pitch black. Two of his eyes were blue, one on his "head" and one on his chest. When he flared his wings with excitement Ben-Ben could see little patches of bright blue in the orange underside of his wings. "I'm Iacus! You can call me cousin, though!" Ben-Ben laughed and nodded.

"Thank you, you can call me-"

"Cousin Ben-Ben!" Someone shouted.

"I- what?"

"Cousin Ben-Ben!" a cacophony of little voices shouted, getting closer before a herd of tiny Lowbreeds burst through the crowd and attached themselves all over Ben-Ben's legs and arms. They were smaller than any Highbreed he'd ever seen with short bodies and long, gangly limbs. Their big eyes seemed to take up their whole bodies and their ting stubs of wings buzzed from how fast they moved.

"Are you really from Earth?"

"What is your favorite food?"

"Are you and Reinrassic dating?"

"You smell nice!"

"Can we go in your ship?"

"What's your favorite-" Ben-Ben was struggling to just stand, much less understand all of the words he was being bombarded with. Some were in Augstakien, some in standard, some in other languages all jumbled together in a constant stream of sound until-

"Augkh!" One of the uncles squawked and the little ones deflated. They dropped off of him and scurried back to the Uncle who called them. There was a heavy thud as Curant dropped down behind him. He was staring at the little ones with a mix of horror and awe. Paul was kindly lowered to the ground by another Uncle.

"What," he stepped closer to Ben-Ben, "are those?"

"Hm?" Ben-Ben looked at his friend. He already explained that these were the supposedly extinct Lowbreeds and- Ah! "The little ones?"

"Those are children," Tsari said as she weaved out of the crowd into the Highbreeds' little bubble of space. Curant tried to step away from her, but he was already three feet from Ben-Ben and didn't want to get closer to him either. "Lowbreed's grub cocoon after around three months, so they come out much smaller. We also do not use learning pods so they must gain their education organically."

"Three months?!" Curant shrank into himself when Tsari kept getting closer.

"It takes Highbreed at least three years to cocoon," Ben-Ben supplied.

"A pity, being a child is such fun!" Tsari smiled. "Do not be surprised if you are called cousins or outsiders. Our community is more accepting than most, and it is the aunties who will be more weary of you. However, I assure you, you are very much welcome to be here." Curant looked at her with suspicion, going as far as getting into Ben-Ben's personal space to get a bit further away.

"You make it sound like we could just walk out of here," he hissed.

"Well, the artificial pond is likely already frozen over again thanks to the water jets we put up there, but I feel you would have a harder time navigating back to the city than breaking through that.

"Why did you bring us here?" Curant demanded. Tsari hummed, thinking.

"I suppose we just really wanted to meet you three."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes." Ben grinned and started looking up at the top of the cavern. Lights were positioned to reflect off massive crystals grown into the ceiling. The moist, pale rock glimmered in the artificial light. The cave smelled like an Earth cave, wet, musty, and muddy with a pinch of stinky mixed in. Tsari and the villagers took them deeper, away from their ship. Curant was on edge while Paul tried to answer every question that the children threw at him. Ben-Ben started to notice as they got deeper that there were a lot of paths leading into dark caverns. Then, there were a few buildings. They seemed to be made of a mix of raw materials like wood combined with bits and pieces likely found in the dump. Ship parts, old cables that had been obviously repaired were decorated with designs that reminded Ben-Ben of the hall in the palace leading to the library. Augstakia was broken down into its base colors and shapes in compact designs and patterns all over every decorated surface. It felt… alien to him, like when he first met Reiny and was introduced to his world.

Finally, they came to a cavern of epic proportions. The cave was larger than Reiny's estate and filled with buildings up the walls, piled on top of each other, some even hanging from the ceiling, and all funneling down to a city center full of strung lights and resting on top of a huge mosaic floor. Shards of stone and shell were pressed into dark plaster. It was old, worn, and obviously repaired several times. A huge elder Infirm, she had a white "face" black skin, speckled with white and baring blue eyes and wings, sat cross legged with a child on each leg. One was white with blue eyes, the another black with orange eyes.

"That's the mother of eternity, and her sons, time and space. Most no longer worship gods, but the stories are good moral lessons and entertainment."

"She looks like you." Curant half mumbled. Tsari snapped straight, a blush barely visible on her freckles.

"That's- I- plenty of Lowbreed are born with white patches or blue scales and eyes!"

"Yes, there seem to be a great deal of variation between you all." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as his wings twitched uncomfortably.

"Is there not among Highbreed?" Iacus asked, bouncing with excitement on the other side of Ben-Ben.

"There is not supposed to be."

"You and your aunt are both variations," Ben-Ben supplied. Curant sighed deeper.

"That is why I will never be anything more than a hatchery manager." He looked over at Ben-Ben, "My family is still paying off the debts we went into to put Dureae into house Cortalis. She was the least defective in our family."

"Defective?!" Tsari spat, looking like she wanted to hit Curant with her rifle. "Tsk! You Highbreed and your beauty standards! Aughk!"

"Grey wings are said to be good luck among Lowbreeds," And uncle supplied, walking on into town, "You will have to tell him the story, Tsari!"

"Dinner will be ready soon!" Another called as he and some cousins ushered the children along. "Do not be late!" Tsari rolled her eyes.

"Come, I will show you where you will be staying." She led them back the way they came, then into the furthest dark offshoot. It was the first one they passed on their way in and the tunnel was long. Part of it had water all over the floor that they had to slosh through. Then there was a steep uplift in the path that they practically had to climb up till they reached a dimm opening. There were only two lights in here and no crystals to magnify them. One flickered in and out of life over the singular bunch of buildings. The biggest building was a very old hut mostly made of wood and hides. There were two smaller huts built even more into the walls. Then, off to the side, was a couple of ships welded together into a smallish building by a trickle of a stream. Water droplets dripped from the stalactites on the ceiling every now and then. "This is my family estate. It is not much, but feel free to make yourselves comfortable."

Curant and Paul looked around without really moving while Ben-Ben stuck next to Tsari.

"Who lives there?" He asked, pointing to the smallest building off to the side.

"My mother and I do. She and the other infirms will be back shortly."

"You all just… live like this?" Curant asked, looking wearily at the damp floor as he walked on it.

"We have plumbing," she assured. "Things have improved greatly under the rule of the current Supreme. Come here," she beckoned the three of them over into the dark space between the big homes and her own. They followed her down the stone stairs until she stopped. She pressed something on her rifle and it became like a glow stick, lighting up the small tunnel. There were handprints all over; they were all different sizes, but most seemed too large to have fit fully inside the space. Sure enough, as they got deeper, the prints became smaller and fewer in number. At the end was a small crystal statue of a blue Augstakien with orange wings and eyes. It stood tall among several small marks on the wall, most looking very old. "This is my ancestral tomb. When a member of our family passes their print is added. The ones on the far wall are made with the foreheads of grubs since they have no hands."

"Wow…" Ben-Ben whispered, "Tsari this is…"

"What is written here?" Curant asked, pointing to the crystal statue.

"That is our family name, Aurortiem Caus. We trace our roots back to the dawn of civilization. Of course, there are other Caus's, but this is my family's ancestral home. The others who bear our name have left for other tribes many years ago."

"That sounds very similar to the Auracauses, one of the main houses," Ben-Ben mused.

"Yes, we are the family theirs originated from." Curant whipped around in shock.

"Impossible! That- you are of the same family as the Supreme!"

"Ah, that," Tsari waved him off, "Our lines have been separated so long you can not really even say we are related anymore. Besides, most of us here can trace our lines better than you Highbreeds." Curant scoffed at that, shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you want to hear the story of Greywings?"

"Your myth? Please, save your breath."

"It is not a myth," Tsari hissed, "He was the hero of the Augitian planes of Mior! They have a statue of him!"

"Come on, Curant," Ben-Ben snickered, "Do you not wish to learn about your nick-name?"

"... Fine."

"Very well," she said, motioning for them to follow her out as she began to speak of a war between tribes. Ben-Ben watched Curant become enraptured. They sat on Tsari's porch as some of her direct family came out of the big house. They sat and listened from across the cavern.

"It sounds like his success was built more on good fortune and over blown fame than any actual skill." Curant said once Tsari was done.

"True," Tsari nodded, "But he was also a good, trustworthy person. If he had been a terrible person with such blessings then he could have hurt a lot of people. That is why fully grey wings are good luck, though."

"Humf." Curant propped his head up with his arm against his knee.

"It seems you're settling in well." All heads turned to a tall, older Lowbreed.

"Mother," Tsari greeted. Tsari's mother was all black save for one arm which was white. She had one blue eye as well.

"So, these are your Highbreed friends," She stalked forward, glaring down at them.

"Termia!" An older Inpare called from the porch of the main house. She was sat next to several other older Lowbreeds, including an Impare who looked old enough to be one the council, though she appeared to be in much better health.

"Yes, mother?" Tsari's mother replied.

"Be nice to those boys! They are guests!"

"Yes, mother," Termina sighed. She didn't glare when she looked back at them. "Dinner is ready, help me bring some back for your great grandmother." The rest of the elders got up but her and moved with them. The water in the cave was barely puddles to them. There was something about seeing the main cityspace full of Augstakiens that filled Ben with joy. They acted so much more like humans than the Highbreed did, taking care if the children and elders, bumping shoulders, sharing food, laughing, playing- just being happy and open in ways Ben-Ben hadn't seen in so long.

Curant was guided stiffly by the wrist by Tsari when he wouldn't go by himself. He was doing his best not to freak out by everyone being so close. They were all trying to talk to him at once while Tsari shoved a bowl in his hands and started going around filling it with food. He could only imagine how it felt for someone who'd never had such friendly contact before getting it all at once. Paul was having a rough time too. Most of the people here had never met a DNAlien before. However, they were not as eager to touch him like with Ben-Ben and Curant.

A majority of the questions at first were about life in high society. Eventually, though, they started asking about Earth. Ben-Ben tried to deflect by asking about the food (which was freaking amazing by the way, way more seasoning and flavor than what the Highbreed ate) but that didn't work.

"What about your family?"

"Well, it's a big family as far as humans go, but usually it's just me, my parents, Grandpa Max, my cousins, and their parents. So just eight people most of the time."

"Such a small family!" One of the aunties remarked.

"Ah, but you must miss them!" A cousin piped up.

"I…" Ben-Ben set his fork down, "I do. All of the time. There isn't- is not a day that goes by without me thinking about them. Especially my cousin, Gwen. She was like a sister to me, my best friend. They all probably think I am dead now. I want to contact them, but Earth is in Plumber space. So there is no way to send a message to them." The coos of apology were more comforting than he expected as the Augstakiens around him lamented over how they didn't think they could go on like that, without their family. They put their hands on his shoulders, even some of the impares who were hesitant about him were comforting him.

He supposed they had preconceptions about him. Even though he had been human, he was a Higbreed now, and that didn't set up a great precedence. But they warmed up quickly once they realised he was more human than Higbreed. One of the aunties even called him refreshing.

Leaving the bright, delicious smelling, warm main city to return to Tsari's family estate was hard for Ben-Ben and Paul, who both enjoyed their time. Curant couldn't seem happier. He walked with his arms around his chest, Tsari's arm around his shoulders, wings twitching between defensively half splayed and glued to his back. They looked like a couple that just walked out of a haunted house, but Curant was still complimenting how friendly they were and how good the food was. He just didn't like the touching and couldn't handle the attention.

Tsari laughed and apologised. She didn't move her arm, though, and Curant said nothing about it. Ben-Ben helped Tsari's mother carry her great grandmother's food.

"That went well," one of Tsari's two female cousins said.

"Better than I thought it would, at least," Tsari confessed. "The people who did not like the idea stood back and remained respectful." She glanced over her shoulder at her grandmother and mother. "I do not suppose someone had something to do with that?" Her mother scoffed.

"I may be your great grandmother's granddaughter, but I am still commanding ranger, and the rights I have earned outweigh the rights I was born with." Curant almost stopped in his tracks.

"You were able to earn your way past your family name?" Tsari's mother "smiled" at Curant with pity and a little pride.

"Names and bloodlines come in and out of favor, rise up, die out, but the acts of the individual matter more down here than blood."

"A tree is known by its fruit, a man by his deeds." Ben-Ben said absently. Everyone looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "Sorry, human saying. It means that the things you do reflect more on you than where you came from. Trees are not known on Earth by the tree that they came from, but the products of the tree themselves. Humans as well are known for the things they do. People who are remembered after they die are the ones who's actions changed history."

"Interesting," Termina said. "I would like to meet an ordinary human, I think. What a fascinating planet you must come from."

"Or perhaps," Curant huffed, "Ben-Ben is simply a fascinating person."

…..

"You are requesting an audience with the Council?" The Highbreed who met the two Reinrassics asked.

"We are demanding it." Reirassic II stated.

"Forgive me sir, but I must-" A beep came from her data padd drew her attention and she paled. "Forgive me again! The Supreme will meet you now!"

"The Supreme?!" Reiny squawked. "We- I-" He shook himself focused again. "Very well, we-"

"I NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE SUPREME!" The Reinrassics, the Highbreeds receiving requests, the palace DNAliens, and everyone else in the entrance to the palace turned to see the now infamous Highbreed standing at the edge of the public landing strip like he'd climbed up the wall to the platform himself. If Reiny had a jaw it would have fallen to the floor.

"Ben-Ben!"


End file.
